The Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Drama) is an award handed out annually by the Casting Society of America. The award, in its current incarnation, was first awarded in 2009, when the category made the distinction of award comedic films with larger budgets, and studio backing. Previously, since the second awards ceremony in 1986, the category had only held the distinction of Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama. The award honors the casting directors of higher-budgeted, in comparison to independently-backed, films that the voting body believes featured the best casting.
Winners and nominees 1980s Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting Year Film Casting Director(s) 1985(1st) Amadeus Mary Goldberg The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Terry Liebling The Natural Ellen Chenoweth Sixteen Candles Jackie Burch A Soldier's Story Reuben Cannon
Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama Year Film Casting Director(s) 1986(2nd) The Color Purple Reuben Cannon Cocoon Penny Perry, Beverly McDermott Mask Mike Fenton, Jane Feinberg, Judy Taylor Silverado Wally Nicita Witness Dianne Crittenden 1987(3rd) Platoon Pat Golden, Bob Morones Aliens Mike Fenton, Jane Feinberg, Judy Taylor At Close Range Risa Bramon, Billy Hopkins Blue Velvet Johanna Ray, Pat Golden Stand by Me Jane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson 1988(4th) The Last Emperor Joanna Merlin The Big Easy Lynn Stalmaster, David Rubin Fatal Attraction Risa Bramon, Billy Hopkins Gaby: A True Story Johanna Ray Weeds Cathy Henderson, Barbara Hanley 1989(5th) Mississippi Burning Howard Feuer, Juliet Taylor Dominick and Eugene Julie Hughes, Barry Moss Field of Dreams Margery Simkin Mystic PizzaJane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson Tucker: The Man and His Dream
1990s Year Film Casting Director(s) 1990(6th) Dead Poets Society Howard Feuer Born on the Fourth of July Risa Bramon, Billy Hopkins Enemies, A Love Story Ellen Chenoweth Glory Mary Colquhoun Longtime Companion Jason LaPadura, Natalie Hart sex, lies, and videotape Deborah Aquila 1991(7th) Dances with Wolves Howard Feuer Avalon Ellen Chenoweth The Grifters Juliet Taylor Miller's Crossing Donna Isaacson, John Lyons Reversal of FortuneHoward Feuer The Silence of the Lambs 1992(8th) Fried Green Tomatoes David Rubin Barton Fink Donna Isaacson, John Lyons Bugsy Ellen Chenoweth JFK Judy Taylor, Lynda Gordon, Geoffrey Johnson, Vincent Liff, Andrew Zerman The Waterdance Pam Dixon 1993(9th) Malcolm X Robi Reed Chaplin Mike Fenton A River Runs Through It Elisabeth Leustig Scent of a Woman Ellen Lewis School Ties Pat McCorkle, Lisa Beach 1994(10th) The Joy Luck Club Heidi Levitt, Risa Bramon Garcia A Bronx Tale Ellen Chenoweth Philadelphia Howard Feuer Searching for Bobby Fischer Avy Kaufman What's Love Got to Do with It Reuben Cannon 1995(11th) Pulp Fiction Ronnie Yeskel, Gary Zuckerbrod Forrest Gump Ellen Lewis Little Women Carrie Frazier, Shani Ginsberg My Family, Mi Familia Janet Hirshenson, Jane Jenkins, Roger Mussenden The Shawshank Redemption Deborah Aquila 1996(12th) The Usual Suspects Francine Maisler Apollo 13 Jane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson Mr. Holland's Opus Sharon Bialy Nixon Heidi Levitt Primal Fear Deborah Aquila, Jane Shannon Smith 1997(13th) The People vs. Larry Flynt Francine Maisler, Jo Doster (location casting) Big Night Ellen Lewis The English Patient David Rubin Lone Star Avy Kaufman and Francine Maisler Romeo + Juliet David Rubin 1998(14th) L.A. Confidential Mali Finn The Horse Whisperer Ellen Chenoweth, Gretchen Rennell Court The Ice Storm Avy Kaufman Primary Colors Juliet Taylor, Ellen Lewis, Juel Bestrop Titanic Mali Finn 1999(15th) Saving Private Ryan Denise Chamian Go Joseph Middleton October Sky Nancy Foy, Jo Doster (location casting) Out of Sight Francine Maisler Pleasantville Ellen Lewis, Debra Zane
2000s Year Film Casting Director(s) 2000(16th) American Beauty Debra Zane Erin Brockovich Margery Simkin Girl, Interrupted Lisa Beach The Sixth Sense Avy Kaufman The Talented Mr. Ripley Deborah Aquila 2001(17th) Traffic Debra Zane The Contender Mary Jo Slater Finding Forrester Francine Maisler and Bernard Telsey The Patriot April Webster, David Bloch, Fincannon & Assoc. (location casting) Remember the Titans Ronna Kress 2002(18th) Moulin Rouge! Ronna Kress A Beautiful Mind Jane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson Crazy/BeautifulSarah Halley Finn, Randy Hiller Life as a House Mulholland Drive Johanna Ray 2003(19th) The Hours Daniel Swee Igby Goes Down Ronnie Yeskel, Richard Hicks The Italian Job Sheila Jaffe Minority Report Denise Chamian Road to Perdition Debra Zane, Mickie Paskal, Rachel Tenner (location casting) 2004(20th) Mystic River Phyllis Huffman, Carolyn Pickman (location casting) Big Fish Denise Chamian House of Sand and Fog Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood Seabiscuit Debra Zane 21 Grams Francine Maisler 2005(21st) Crash Sarah Halley Finn, Randi Hiller Kinsey Cindy Tolan Million Dollar Baby Phyllis Huffman The Notebook Matthew Barry, Nancy Green-Keyes Ray Nancy Klopper, Mark Fincannon (location casting) 2006(22nd) Brokeback Mountain Avy Kaufman Capote Avy Kaufman; Heike Brandstatter, Coreen Mayrs (location casting) Memoirs of a Geisha Francine Maisler Syriana Avy Kaufman, Lora Kennedy, Lucinda Syson Walk the Line Lisa Beach, Sarah Katzman 2007(23rd) Dreamgirls Debra Zane, Jay Binder The Good Shepherd Amanda Mackey, Cathy Sandrich Gelfond Hollywoodland Joanna Colbert The Lookout Marcia S. Ross, Robin Cook (Toronto casting) The Namesake Cindy Tolan World Trade Center Mary Vernieu
Outstanding Achievement in Casting: Studio Feature – Drama Year Film Casting Director(s) 2008(24th) No Country for Old Men Ellen Chenoweth, Jo Edna Boldin (location casting) Across the Universe Bernard Telsey American Gangster Avy Kaufman Iron Man Sarah Halley Finn, Randi Hiller Michael Clayton Ellen Chenoweth
Outstanding Achievement in Casting: Big Budget Feature (Drama) Year Film Casting Director(s) 2009(25th) Star Trek April Webster, Alyssa Weisberg Changeling Ellen Chenoweth The Dark Knight John Papsidera Duplicity Ellen Chenoweth State of Play Avy Kaufman
2010s Year Film Casting Director(s) 2010(26th) Inglourious Basterds Johanna Ray, Jenny Jue Avatar Margery Simkin, Mali Finn (initial casting) Nine Francine Maisler Sherlock Holmes Reg Poerscout-Edgerton Shutter Island Ellen Lewis, Carolyn Pickman (location casting) 2011(27th) The Social Network Laray Mayfield The Fighter Sheila Jaffe, Angela Peri (location casting) Inception John Papsidera The Town Lora Kennedy, Carolyn Pickman (location casting) True Grit Ellen Chenoweth; Rachel Tenner, JoEdna Boldin (location casting) 2012(28th) The Help Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee The Descendants John Jackson, John McAlary (associate) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Laray Mayfield The Hunger Games Debra Zane, Jackie Burch (location casting) Moneyball Francine Maisler, Lauren Grey (associate) 2013(29th) Argo Lora Kennedy Les Misérables Nina Gold Life of Pi Avy Kaufman Lincoln Avy Kaufman; Erica Arvold, Pat Moran (location casting) Zero Dark Thirty Mark Bennett, Richard Hicks; Seher Latif (location casting); Charley Medigovich (associate) 2015(30th) 12 Years a Slave Francine Maisler, Meagan Lewis (location casting), Melissa Kostenbauder (associate) American Hustle Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham; Angela Peri (location casting) Captain Phillips Francine Maisler; Donna M. Belajac, Daniel Hubbard (location casting) Foxcatcher Jeanne McCarthy; Rori Bergman, Donna M. Belajac (location casting); Matthew Maisto (associate) Gone Girl Laray Mayfield, Annie Hamilton (location casting) Selma Aisha Coley, Robyn Owen (associate) 2016(31st) Straight Outta Compton Cindy Tolan, Victoria Thomas; Meagan Lewis, Beth Sepko, Carolyn Pickman, Lucinda Syson, Pat Moran (location casting); Judith Sunga (associate) Bridge of Spies Ellen Lewis, Kate Sprance (associate) Mad Max: Fury Road Ronna Kress, Nikki Barrett Spotlight Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee; John Buchan, Jason Knight, Carolyn Pickman (location casting); Joey Montenarello, Adam Richards (associates) Star Wars: The Force Awakens Nina Gold, April Webster, Alyssa Weisberg; Jessica Sherman (associate) 2017(32nd) Hidden Figures Victoria Thomas; Jackie Burch (location casting); Bonnie Grisan (associate) Arrival Francine Maisler, Lucie Robitaille (location casting) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Fiona Weir, Jim Carnahan (location casting) The Girl on the Train Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee; Joey Montenarello, Adam Richards (associates) Nocturnal Animals Francine Maisler 2018(33rd) Dunkirk John Papsidera Baby Driver Francine Maisler, Meagan Lewis (location casting) Detroit Victoria Thomas, Richard Hicks (New York casting), Carolyn Pickman (location casting), Scotty Anderson (associate) The Post Ellen Lewis, Rori Bergman; Kate Sprance, Karlee Fomalont (associates) Wonder Woman Lora Kennedy, Kristy Carlson, Lucinda Syson; Jeanette Benzie (associate) 2019(34th) Vice Francine Maisler, Amber Wakefield (additional casting) Boy Erased Carmen Cuba; Tara Feldstein Bennett, Chase Paris (location casting); Shelby Cherniet (associate) The Hate U Give Yesi Ramirez; Tara Feldstein Bennett, Chase Paris (location casting) A Star Is Born Mary Vernieu, Lindsay Graham; Raylin Sabo (associate) Widows Francine Maisler; Jennifer Rudnicke, Mickie Paskal (location casting); Amber Wakefield (associate)
2020s