By Rebecca Rubin May 30, 2025 8:00am PT on https://variety.com

Casting sets the tone of a movie. The Academy is finally acknowledging this challenging job with an Oscar category.

Casting director Sarah Finn has been Marvel’s longtime secret weapon: She’s the one fielding thousands and thousands of auditions to populate Hollywood’s biggest film franchise. Over the years, she’s convinced A-listers like Robert Downey Jr. and Paul Rudd to don spandex as Iron Man and Ant-Man, while launching new stars like Chris Hemsworth, who was just a hunk from Aussie soaps before he became Thor, and Simu Liu, a Canadian sitcom actor before Shang-Chi. Finn is almost as responsible as studio chief Kevin Feige or “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau for assembling the Avengers, but without the recognition, because her job operates outside the public eye. ...