40th Casting Society (CSA) Artios Awards Nominations: ‘Challengers,’ ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘Thelma’ and More

Casting Society (CSA) announced today the nominees for the 40th Artios Awards, celebrating the work of casting directors on feature films across comedy, drama, animation, and budgets large and small.

In the category of big budget comedy the nominees were Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Challengers, Deadpool & Wolverine, Nightbitch, Saturday Night and Wicked: Part 1. For big budget dramas we have Blitz, A Complete Unknown, Civil War, Gladiator II and Queer.

For lower budget and more independently produced films, the nominees include Conclave, Nickel Boys, A Real Pain, Thelma and Janet Planet. Notably missing from the list today is Sean Baker’s Anora. Baker acts as his own casting director in his films.

“As we commemorate the 40th Annual Artios Awards, we are delighted to announce Janelle, Jessica, and Jordan as the hosts for our global ceremonies. Their remarkable wit, talent, and dynamic presence perfectly complement what promises to be an extraordinary series of evenings celebrating our community. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the exceptional film nominees whose outstanding contributions continue to advance the art of storytelling,” stated Destiny Lilly, President, Casting Society.

Three-time Emmy Award nominee Janelle James (Abbott Elementary) will be the host of the 40th Annual Artios Awards in Los Angeles, Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit Award nominee Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) will be the host of the London ceremony and comedian Jordan Carlos is the host of the New York ceremony. The ceremonies will be held at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, White City House in London and the Edison Ballroom in New York on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. The annual awards celebration honors the contributions of casting professionals in film, television (scripted and unscripted), commercials and theater.

CSA previously announced the television (scripted and unscripted), theater, commercials, short film and short form series nominees where Shōgun, Ripley, Baby Reindeer, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building all earned mentions.

Here are the nominees for the 40th Annual Artios Awards in the film categories: 

FEATURE: BIG BUDGET: COMEDY

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE: Sophie Holland. Location Casting Directors: Angela Peri, Lisa Lobel. Location Associate Casting Director: Melissa Morris

CHALLENGERS: Francine Maisler. Associate Casting Director: Molly Rose

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Sarah Halley Finn. Associate Casting Directors: Jacqueline Gallagher, Jordyn Gregory. Location Casting Directors: Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann. Location Associate Casting Director: Katie Brydon

NIGHTBITCH: Douglas Aibel. Associate Casting Director: Matthew Glasner

SATURDAY NIGHT: John Papsidera

WICKED: PART I: Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield. Associate Casting Director: Ryan Bernard Tymensky. Location Casting Director: Tamsyn Manson

FEATURE: BIG BUDGET: DRAMA 

BLITZ: Nina Gold. Associate Casting Director: Lucy Amos

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN: Yesi Ramirez. Location Casting Directors: Rori Bergman, Karlee Fomalont. Location Associate Casting Director: Kate Sprance

CIVIL WAR: Francine Maisler. Associate Casting Director: Amber Wakefield. Location Casting Directors: Meagan Lewis, Rebecca Carfagna

DUNE: PART TWO: Francine Maisler. Associate Casting Directors: Kathy Driscoll-Mohler, Molly Rose. Location Casting Director: Dixie Chassay

GLADIATOR II: Kate Rhodes James                                            

QUEER: Jessica Ronane

FEATURE: ANIMATION

INSIDE OUT 2: Natalie Lyon, Kevin Reher, Kate Hansen-Birnbaum. Associate Casting Director: Lexi Diamond

MOANA 2: Grace C. Kim

MUFASA: THE LION KING: Francine Maisler, Molly Rose

SPELLBOUND: Jason Henkel

THE WILD ROBOT: Christi Soper Hilt

FEATURE: INTERNATIONAL FILM (*NEW CATEGORY)

THE BUCKINGHAM MURDERS: Shakyra Dowling

EMILIA PÉREZ: Carla Hool. Associate Casting Director: Susan Putnam

JULIE KEEPS QUIET: Sien Josephine Teijssen

KNEECAP: Carla Stronge

SAMIA: Cassandra Han

THE SETTLERS: Jessie Frost

TOUCH: Yoko Narahashi. Location Casting Director: Xanthe Spencer-Davidson

FEATURE: STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT: COMEDY

A DIFFERENT MAN: Maribeth Fox. Associate Casting Director: Kimberly Ostroy          

EZRA: Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee. Associate Casting Directors: Roya Semnanian, Rachel Goldman

HIT MAN: Vicky Boone. Associate Casting Director: Liz Kelley

MY OLD ASS: Douglas Aibel. Associate Casting Director: Matthew Glasner 

A REAL PAIN: Jessica Kelly         

THELMA: Jamie Ember

FEATURE: STUDIO OR INDEPENDENT: DRAMA

THE APPRENTICE: Carmen Cuba, Stephanie Gorin. Associate Casting Director: Brendan Wilcocks

CONCLAVE: Nina Gold, Martin Ware. Location Casting Director: Francesco Vedovati, Barbara Giordani

HERETIC: Carmen Cuba. Associate Casting Director: Charley Medigovich. Location Casting Director: Tiffany Mak

LEE: Lucy Bevan, Olivia Grant

NICKEL BOYS: Victoria Thomas. Associate Casting Director: Jennifer Yoo. Location Casting Director: Meagan Lewis

SEPTEMBER 5: Nancy Foy, Lucinda Syson, Simone Bär. Associate Casting Director: Natasha Vincent. Location Casting Director: Juliette Ménager

FEATURE: LOW BUDGET: COMEDY OR DRAMA

EMPIRE WAIST: Rori Bergman. Associate Casting Director: Karlee Fomalont

FANCY DANCE: Stacey Rice. Location Casting Director: Chris Freihofer

JANET PLANET: Jessica Kelly

OMNI LOOP: Kate Geller, Taylor Williams. Associate Casting Director: Ross Shenker

THE GRADUATES: Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee. Associate Casting Directors: Roya Semnanian, Rachel Goldman. Location Casting Director: Jeff Johnson

TOKYO COWBOY: Emily Schweber

YOUR MONSTER: Scotty Anderson