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Silhouettes of ̾Ƶ students on stage in front of yellow lighting

Wendy Kurtzman

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Wendy Kurtzman

Wendy Kurtzman
Assistant Professor, BFA Acting for Film, Television, Voice-overs, and Commercials

̾ƵLA Acting Experience - BFA Acting

Wendy Kurtzman is an Emmy-nominated casting director who has helped launch the careers of many well-known actors including such notables as Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey and Evan Rachel Wood. She has more than 25 years of experience in feature films, movies for television, mini-series and theater. Ms. Kurtzman has worked with many distinguished directors such as Paul Schrader, Diane Keaton, Sally Field and Roland Emmerich, for whom she cast the blockbuster “Independence Day,” starring Will Smith. Prior to starting her own casting business, she was a casting executive at Lifetime and NBC. She began her career as an actress in musical theater and graduated with a degree in theater from UCLA. Her experience as both a performer and a casting director afford her a unique perspective into what it takes to succeed as a performer. Her ability to call on a strong network of agents, managers, producers, casting directors, composers and musicians will provide young hopefuls unique access into the professional world.