The Starlet
Joseph Middleton is a casting director. He grew up in Georgia, beginning his career in film as a production assistant on Mississippi Burning (1988). His astute observation of miscast extras on set caught the eye of director Alan Parker, who encouraged him to explore casting. This led to a pivotal role with casting legend Shari Rhodes, where she worked as her associate on The Sandlot (1993), ultimately launching Middleton into a distinguished independent casting career. He rose to prominence with early casting credits on Go (1999) and American Pie (1999), establishing his flair for discovering the perfect actor for iconic roles. Over the next decade, he continued to craft casts for successful films such as Bring It On (2000), The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000), Legally Blonde (2001), Old School (2003), In Good Company (2004), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), and A Single Man (2009). His work earned him multiple Artios Award nominations from the Casting Society of America and a win in 2000 for American Pie (comedy). Middleton also served as Executive Vice President of Casting at Paramount Pictures and Paramount Television for nine years, blending creative casting with business acumen. After returning to independent work, he expanded his influence by speaking at educational and industry platforms like the New York Film Academy and SAG-AFTRA Foundation. In these forums, he champions discovering undiscovered talent and emphasises authenticity in auditions. Known for his intuitive eye, Middleton has described casting as seeking actors who don’t merely transform into characters but reveal themselves through the role—an approach he witnessed firsthand when Billy Porter auditioned for The Broken Hearts Club, redefining Middleton’s vision for the character.
