Wittney Horton on casting 'Backrooms' and coaching Kane Parsons

<p dir="ltr">This week, Kim Masters speaks with casting director Wittney Horton about helping Kane Parsons navigate his feature debut, <em>Backrooms</em>. Horton shares how she used a practice Zoom call to prepare Parsons for a meeting with Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor. She also considers how the new Oscar for casting might change the way her colleagues approach their craft, and whether an actor&rsquo;s social media following should influence casting decisions.</p>

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<p dir="ltr">Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni explore what the <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/11/stocks-tank-erasing-post-election-rally-1237214822/">2026 midterm results</a> could mean for Hollywood in the coming year. They discuss whether changes in the Senate could create hurdles for the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/federal-film-and-tv-tax-incentive-bill-1236687205/">federal tax incentive</a> endorsed by Trump, and whether the recent Skydance deal could draw scrutiny from both the House and Senate.</p>

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