Join a conversation celebrating the recent establishment of the Academy Award for Achievement in Casting for films released in 2025 and beyond.

Purchase Tickets @ Academy Museum, starting at $5: https://www.academymuseum.org/en/programs/detail/breaking-the-oscars-ceiling-2025-0193b21b-2088-7e11-59cd-f281072eafd3

The work of casting directors is an integral part of the creative process. Enjoy a conversation celebrating the creation of this new Academy Award for Achievement in Casting, beginning with the 98th Annual Academy Awards for films released in 2025.

Join casting directors as they discuss historic milestones, reflect on past achievements, and talk about what the inclusion and impact of the new award means for the future of their discipline.

The list below shows the panelists who will be participating in the afternoon’s program. The list of participants is subject to change and will continuously be updated.

• Carmen Cuba (Heretic, 2024; Nope, 2022)

• Julia Kim (Minari, 2020; The Last Black Man in San Francisco, 2019; Spa Night, 2016; But I’m A Cheerleader, 1999)

• Victoria Thomas (Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, 2019; The Harder They Fall, 2021)

Moderated by Academy Casting Directors Branch Governors:

• Richard Hicks (Hell or High Water, 2016; Zero Dark Thirty, 2012; Gravity, 2013)

• Kim Taylor-Coleman (Zola, 2020; BlacKKKlansman, 2018; Dope, 2015)

• Debra Zane (Cocaine Bear, 2023; The Hunger Games franchise; Catch Me If You Can, 2002)