Mali Finn, Casting Director for 'Titanic,' 'Matrix'
Richard
Emmy winner cast 'Titanic,' 'Matrix'
By VARIETY STAFF
Mali Finn, casting director for films including "Titanic," "L.A.
Confidential" and "The Matrix," died of melanoma Wednesday in Sonoma,
Calif. She was 69.
Finn won an Emmy for ensemble casting for "61*" and won three Artios
awards from the Casting Society of America.
She became a casting director after careers as an actress and a drama
teacher, moving to Hollywood at the age of 43 and launching Mali Finn
Casting in 1989. Until her retirement due to cancer in 2006, she cast
more than 80 feature films and TV series, including "Terminator 2:
Judgment Day," "The Client," "Your Friends and Neighbors" "The Green
Mile," "Wonder Boys"(2000), "8 Mile" "The Assassination of Richard
Nixon" and Palme d'Or winner "Elephant."
Born Mary Alice Mann in Danville, Ill., she graduated the U. of
Minnesota and performed as an actress in local productions as well as
touring with the USO. For 15 years she taught English and drama in
elementary school, high school and college.
In 1981, at the age of 43, she and her husband moved to Los Angeles,
where she entered the casting field. Starting out with Dodie McLean,
casting director for early Quinn Martin productions, Finn went on to
work with casting director/manager Michael McLean and casting director
Lynn Stalmaster, where in 1987 she took the lead on "The
Untouchables."
She worked closely with filmmakers including Curtis Hanson, Joel
Schumacher, John Schlesinger, Gus Van Sant, David Gordon Greene,
Kathryn Bigelow, Carl Franklin, Jim Abrahams, Matt Williams and Larry
& Andy Wachowski and James Cameron, who wrote to her after the opening
of "Titanic," "You have the nose of a bloodhound for finding talent."
She is survived by her husband, Donn, a son, her mother, a brother, a
sister and two grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in Los Angeles in early 2008.
Donations may be sent Film Independent, Project:Involve -- Mali Finn
Fund, 9911 Pico Blvd., 11th fl., Los Angeles CA 90036 or Hospice by
the Bay, in memory of Mali Finn, 17 East Sir Francis Drake Blvd.,
Suite 100, Larkspur, CA 94939.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117976924.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Ted
> Casting director Mali Finn dies
> Emmy winner cast 'Titanic,' 'Matrix'
This is very sad to hear. A lot of good actors got their start and
some fine roles thanks to her.
Jim Beaver
"Richard" <lcp...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c632e2d8-9119-48d7...@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> Casting director Mali Finn dies
> Emmy winner cast 'Titanic,' 'Matrix'
>
> By VARIETY STAFF
>
> Mali Finn, casting director for films including "Titanic," "L.A.
> Confidential" and "The Matrix," died of melanoma Wednesday in Sonoma,
> Calif. She was 69.
>
> Finn won an Emmy for ensemble casting for "61*" and won three Artios
> awards from the Casting Society of America.
A heck of a nice lady. I first met her reading for "61*". It was a bit
nerve-wracking reading for the part of a real-life person and doing so for
Billy Crystal, the director. She made it very easy. I'd have never guessed
she was anywhere near 69.
RIP.
Jim Beaver
Hyfler/Rosner
--
>
> A heck of a nice lady. I first met her reading for "61*".
> It was a bit nerve-wracking reading for the part of a
> real-life person and doing so for Billy Crystal, the
> director. She made it very easy. I'd have never guessed
> she was anywhere near 69.
>
> RIP.
>
> Jim Beaver
Just this minute finished watching 'Running With Scissors'
and sure enough the casting credit comes up...Mali Finn.
(Terrific film, by the way.)
Ok, I'll be the first. Which real-life person were you
auditioning for?
Brad Ferguson
<rel...@rcn.com> wrote:
I say Houk.
Damn. I suddenly really, really miss those Yankees.
Jim Beaver
"Brad Ferguson" <thir...@frXOXed.net> wrote in message
news:031220072319281411%thir...@frXOXed.net...
Nope. Dan Topping. Bob Gunton got the part.
Jim Beaver