Jesse Griffiths Casting Director - CSA,CDC
(he/him)
After over a decade of working as an actor in film, tv, and theatre, Jesse made a pivot and began his career in casting. He opened Jesse Griffiths Casting (JGC) with the goal of combining his passion for the arts with his knowledge of local talent. His focus is, and will always be, to push for more inclusion and diversity in the casting process. He devotes part of his time to the development of the next generation of artists and has taught at Toronto Metropolitan University, Sheridan College, Actra Toronto, and leads a monthly workshop for Toronto's BIPOC community. He is a mentor at the Canadian Film Centre’s Actors Conservatory, a member of the Casting Society of America (CSA), serves on the Executive of the Casting Director's Society of Canada (CDC), and is on the professional advisory committee for Seneca College, George Brown College, and Toronto Metropolitan University. He is the proud recipient of the ACTRA Toronto Sandi Ross Award. Jesse is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University with a BFA in Theatre Performance.
Leah Galloway Casting Assistant (she/her)
Leah Galloway is a graduate of Humber College’s Film & Television Production program! Coming from an acting background, she has had the privilege of understanding both sides of the casting table. She made her directorial debut in 2020 with the documentary short “Friendly Faces & Safe Spaces” and is currently developing a new web comedy. As someone who strives for inclusive casting, Leah is over the moon to be part of the JGC team!
Izad Etemadi Casting Assistant (he/him)
Izad Etemadi is an Iranian-Canadian actor and writer based out of Toronto. He was a resident of the 2021/2022 CBC Actor’s Conservatory at the Canadian Film Centre and the recipient of the 2017 Emerging Queer Artist award from Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. On-screen credits include Orphan Black: Echoes (AMC), Ghosts (CBS), Overlord and the Underwoods (CBC/Nickelodeon), and Revenge of the Black Best Friend (CBC Gem). In 2022, he originated the role of Samuel in the new Canadian musical Grow (from the producers of Come From Away) at The Grand Theatre and returned later that season to play Buddy the Elf in Elf the Musical. As a screenwriter, he is working on projects in development and production with Cameron Pictures, Shaftesbury Kids, and Border2Border Entertainment. His short film Plant Daddy won the 2023 Queer Your Stories short film competition, garnering a screening at the prestigious Inside Out Festival. Izad’s work uses comedy to explore issues of queer identity, immigration, body image, and the terrors of being a millennial. Outside of acting and writing, he has over five years of experience working in casting for film and television.