Rick Millikan has the distinction of casting hit series in a variety of genres, including: The X-Files, Bones, CSI: Miami, Married With Children and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Millikan began his career as an actor but switched to casting and became the director of talent and casting at MGM Television and later, at Columbia Pictures Television. His past work has included the series Route 66, In the Heat of the Night, The Young Riders, and the MOW Christmas on Division Street. For his outstanding work on The X-Files, Millikan was nominated for an Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dramatic Episodic Casting.
On X-Files we ship the guest stars to Vancouver for ten days. The smaller roles are generally cast up there. For Sabrina, I cast all the parts, so I’m looking at day players, one-liners, three-day players and sort of everything in between. In the case of day players, I tend to pre-read because sometimes, the delivery of one line in a half hour show can make or break an entire episode. Sometimes one line can be so important and it can also be the hardest thing to deliver. I like to see people do it before I actually bring them to producers.
It almost is because, even in the audition process, when somebody reads just one line it can come across as silly. But it can’t be silly in the context of the show because it’s pushing the show forward to some point, and it’s an important moment - or it wouldn’t be there. One-line roles can be very difficult to do and a lot of people don’t take it seriously. People think, “I’m not going in for one line. Forget it.” But it can be a very important thing for new people. We need somebody who brings uniqueness to that line, who makes it stand out and make sense.
I think it’s always okay to ask those questions, if you truly have five different ways to do it. Don’t tell me you do and then it’s exactly the same. That drives me crazy because it’s wasting my time and your time. A lot of people do that. If you’re going to ask to do it again make sure it’s different.
It’s all about being real and making it look like “Anybody, USA;” that these things could be happening to any of us. We’re looking for people who almost don’t even look like actors. I just actually had to produce a session last week where I brought in a very good actress who’s very attractive and the note from the producers was, “She looks too much like an actor.” And it really struck me how hard we try to stay away from people that are too beautiful or too perfect; we really try to use people that look “real.” If you stand at an airport and watch people all day, or you sit at a bus stop—people can be very strange looking. It’s funny, I see people who’ve spent hours getting ready and looking their best for the audition, but for The X-Files you don’t need to do that. You just need to be a raw human being because that’s what I’m looking for. It’s people who can bring out that raw humanity and not everybody can do that. A lot of people think they can do it, but not everybody can really unzip that outer layer and let us all in. That’s what I think good acting is really all about.
If I were an actor, I would try to get myself into a comfortable place in whatever way I do that. Obviously meeting somebody for the first time is an exchange of energy. Sometimes it’s difficult, sometimes it’s easy, just because people have different chemistries with each other. Sometimes I meet actors and there are immediate little tensions, sometimes I’m completely comfortable with someone right away. But as an actor, you sort of have to blow those feelings off and make yourself comfortable whether you feel that way or not. You need to be able to open up immediately. And how you do that I don’t know. If there’s something happening here between you and the casting director that’s a little uncomfortable, maybe you can use it somehow. But, you have to remember that a casting director has a specific job to do and that’s to cast a part and other parts you don’t even know about. There are plenty of people outside waiting for their chance. Obviously we’ve got to keep things moving. So, if I were an actor, I’d read my sides and say, “Would you like to see anything else? Thank you very much. Nice to meet you. Goodbye.” That’s the perfect audition for me. If something wonderful happens between the two of you, and you strike up a great conversation and the casting director wants to see a little more of you as a person - great. I then know immediately that I’m bringing you to the producers. I don’t need to see anymore and I’ve got to move on. That could be the case. But maybe, I just know immediately that you’re not right and I need to keep looking. That’s not a negative thing, it’s just the way it is. You can’t take it personally as an actor.
Because I wasn’t making any money. It wasn’t what I was hoping it would be and I didn’t want to keep pushing and going on auditions and wake up ten years later thinking, “Now what am I going to do?” I wanted to develop a career for myself early on. That was my choice. And I’m so glad I did because I’ve been pretty lucky. I think you really have to be happy with yourself. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and say, “Am I happy? Am I fulfilled? Is this why I’m here on this earth? Is going on auditions fulfilling to me? Is that what I want?” If the answer is yes, then by all means go for it. If that’s what you have to do in this lifetime to make your dreams come true and your life happy. But, I also think every actor needs to accept the possibility that they might not make it. To get a role as a series regular, where you make a lot of money is almost like playing the lottery. So, I would be prepared to have something else you love to do—just in case. I’ve heard people say, “I’m going to do it. I’m going to make it. I don’t care. I’ll do anything!” I understand what that dream is about. I respect the dream and the drive and the excitement. I’ll never forget when I got my first day player role in a movie-of-the-week and I went through the roof. My agent said, “Rick, you’re working for one day. Relax!” So, when I book an actor for a day player role and it’s their first job, I know what that does to somebody and it really thrills me to give them that work.
Of course they can submit and actors do submit all day long. If you don’t have an agent and you don’t have any connections, I think you have to submit. I think you have to do everything in your power to get yourself out and seen - do showcases, do workshops, do plays. Let your face get out there. It’s the only way you’re going to get rolling and hopefully something will click. You could get a series regular role tomorrow. It happens that quickly. That’s the strange thing about this business. You can walk into a room today, audition, next thing you know you’re on a series for five years. Look at Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. They walked into a room one day, auditioned, and from one audition they’re now stars of a major TV series and making a lot of money.
If you’re out working and you’re doing plays, if you’re good, you’re going to get a good agent. Gillian Anderson was in plays in New York and Chicago and somebody saw her, picked her up, sent her on a call for this pilot called The X-Files and there she went. That was the perfect example of being ready. She was ready to go. But casting directors and agents are all out there. Everyone’s out there looking. When the goods are there and somebody’s new and fresh and hot—they’re going to get snapped up in two seconds because the hype starts. It’s like a frenzy. It’s a shark feeding frenzy and that’s what pilot season is all about. Everyone is looking for that next series star. So do whatever you can do. Hopefully it’s quality work and you’re surrounded by good people. Not all plays are good and not all work is good but I think you really have to just put yourself out there—because again, it’s a hugely competitive business. There are not just ten actors running around in this town. There are ten million now.
Yeah. Hang in there, baby!
Rick Millikan Casting
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20th Century Fox Television
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