Alexa Fogel (‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans’ casting director) on allowing audiences to see ‘a different side of what an actor can do’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“We were putting together this puzzle, this tapestry,” describes Alexa Fogel of her work on “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.” The success of the FX series depended on nailing the specific dynamics of the titular New York high society group. The Emmy-winning casting director worked closely with producer Ryan Murphy to find the right actors to bring this world to life. “I will say that in the beginning,” admits Fogel, “the most important part of that puzzle was Truman.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Truman Capote is already a fascinating figure in American pop culture, as evidenced by multiple previous screen portrayals of the famed author. But Fogel wasn’t interested in producing a copy of a previous performance. “It’s a different period in Truman’s life, so it’s well past that moment of glory that he’s had,” she explains. In “Feud,” the writer is in an absolute spiral after a tell-all account of New York’s finest leaves him isolated and friendless.
In the end it was Tom Hollander who was the perfect man for the job. “knew Tom’s work very well,” reflects Fogel, remembering that a particular scene he did in “The Night Manager” with Elizabeth Debicki was the moment which convinced her that he could handle the “manipulation and self-destruction” at the heart of the character. “It’s just an acting masterclass,” she says, “he can do almost anything.”
“What’s exciting about the job is letting people see a different side of what an actor can do,” describes Fogel. That’s true whether she’s introducing a newcomer like Ella Beatty to the world, if she’s casting a performer like Chloe Sevigny against their usual type, or if she’s finding the right part for an actor she’s seen grow over the course of a lifetime. “I know that actors have all of these muscles and can do lots of different things,” she continues. “These relationships are the long game, and I think that is also something that is so hard for actors who are getting out of school…to remember. The relationship, it’s meant to go on for a very, very long time. And as actors change, we see those changes.”
SEE Emmy spotlight: Demi Moore as the ‘haunted’ Ann Woodward in ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans’
Fogel is a three-time Emmy winner, taking home consecutive trophies for “NYPD Blue” (1994-95) and “True Detective.” She earned 14 Emmy nominations in total, including an additional bid for “NYPD Blue,” and nominations for “Oz,” “Generation Kill,” “Too Big to Fail,” “Treme,” “Atlanta” (2017-18) “Pose,” and “Ozark” (2019-20, 2022).
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