Hulu has appointed Emmy-winning Casting Director Barbara Fiorentino as its new Head of Talent and Casting, Variety has learned.
Fiorentino’s hiring is the first time Hulu have put in place an in-house head of casting. She will oversee casting for all Hulu Originals projects and work closely with the company’s external creative partners on key talent searches for upcoming and current original series, and will also lead Hulu in “growing its business with the industry’s top actors, identifying new and emerging talent, and expanding the diversity and inclusivity of its casting,” according to a statement.
Fiorentino will report to VP of Originals Beatrice Springborn.
Fiorentino has owned her own casting company since 1999, and has helped cast a number of TV shows including “Thirteen Reasons Why,” “Lethal Weapon,” “UnReal,” and “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.” She also served as a consultant for Imagine TV on the upcoming Hulu series “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” which is slated to premiere this Fall.
In 2007, Fiorentino won an Emmy for Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special for her work on the AMC show “Broken Trail.” She shared the award with five other casting directors who worked on the Western drama which starred Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church in the lead roles.
Fiorentino will bring her Associate Terese Classen with her to Hulu. They will both work out of the company’s Santa Monica Office.