Michelle Allen has lived and worked in the Canadian Film and Television Industry for more than forty years. She formed the first Background casting company in BC in 1983, and began casting Principal roles for Film and Television in 1986.
Michelle is exceptionally proud and pleased to have worked with two-time Academy Award-winning Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu on The Revenant. The film won 8 Oscars in 2016, among them Best Director for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Best Motion Picture, and Best Actor for first-time Oscar Winner Leonardo DiCaprio.
Previous to that, Michelle cast Zack Snyder-directed feature films Man of Steel, Watchmen and Sucker Punch as well as Final Destination Five, Red Riding Hood, Mystery Alaska, Cousins, The Accused (starring Jodie Foster) and Roxanne (starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah). Among her many episodic credits are Lost in Space, Fringe, Dead Like Me, The Twilight Zone and 21 Jump St. She has also casted more than sixty films for television.
Michelle had the honour of winning the 2009-2010 Artios Award (Casting Society of America Award) for Outstanding Achievement in Television Pilot Casting for the hit CBS show The Good Wife. She was also nominated for two awards in 2006:Outstanding Achievement in M.O.W. Casting for the highly acclaimed A & E special, Flight 93, and A Little Thing Called Murder starring Judy Davis for the Lifetime Channel.
When Covid 19 struck in 2020, the industry – and much of the World – shifted immensely and in unforeseen ways.
Michelle channelled her energy, knowledge and original core appreciation of working with Actors into a private coaching and teaching practice with the intention of continuing to guide, nurture, and support the creative aspirations of performers. She is uniquely positioned to offer meaningful feedback and inspiration.
“We’ll see how the next episode unfolds!”
