Anyone looking to land a small part in the Western film “By Way of Helena” will have a chance to audition Saturday at an open casting call.
Casting directors will be at the Hampton Inn on U.S. 82 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday to consider people for small roles and parts as extras in the movie, which will begin filming in the Greenwood area in two weeks.
Jay DeFelice, background actors casting coordinator for the film, said people are free to drop in at any point during that time. The casting call will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.
DeFelice added that those interested should make sure to check their up-to-date measurements and clothing sizes, including height, weight and inseam. Potential extras should also come prepared to fill out a questionnaire on their availability in September and October.
Filming should start around Sept. 15 and wrap up by Oct. 24, DeFelice said. Since the film is set in a small Western frontier town, some extras might be used in multiple scenes.
“It would make perfect sense to see the same people over and over again, though it’s completely up to the director’s discretion,” he said.
The movie’s setting in a small Texas border outpost will also affect some of the casting decisions, DeFelice said. There’s a special need for several groups of extras of Mexican or Latino heritage or appearance to play Mexican soldiers or other roles.
Questions or additional information about background casting for the movie can be answered Saturday or sent by email to Jay@GloriosoCasting.com.
“By Way of Helena” will be shot largely at the former Florewood State Park and at other locations in the area. Work crews have been in town for nearly a month now transforming Florewood, which closed a decade ago, into the backdrop for the movie.
The Western will tell the story of a Texas Ranger, played by “The Hunger Games” star Liam Hems-worth, who is dispatched to a small 1880s Texas frontier town to investigate a number of bodies that have been washing up in a river. Woody Harrelson, the “Cheers” and “True Detective” star, will play the settlement’s darkly mysterious leader.
• Contact Bryn Stole at 581-7235 or bstole@gwcommonwealth.com.
