rant · moment 11 of 21
Casting Call for Sahar Zaheed: 'Plus-Sized British South Asian, Non-Binary'
from Tim's Big Audition with Chris Distefano | The Tim Dillon Show #308 · #308
6 min
Tim and Krysta dissect the absurd, contradictory casting requirements for a Heartstopper role (no acting experience needed, but must be a specific body type, ethnicity, and gender identity) and riff on how old Hollywood executives would have reacted.
- Netflix casting call seeks 'plus-sized actor of British South Asian heritage who identifies as female or non-binary'
- Professional experience not essential means they want the identity, not acting ability
- Sahar is in year 11, a little cynical—because she's not actually an actor or actress
- Tim submits his own email response to the casting call immediately
- Casting director claims commitment to equal opportunities while explicitly requiring specific race, size, and gender identity
- Tim identifies as non-binary some days feeling like shit, other days like a dude—it's just gay plus film
- Non-binary used to just be called being a human with different gender feelings all the time
- Story: pool party with TJ Jerry, a transgender woman on a rubber ducky, screaming that life begins at conception during Roe v. Wade fallout
Daniel Edwards CastingHarvey WeinsteinKurt MetzgerSahar ZhangMindy Tucker