Mary Selway | |
|---|---|
.webp) Mary Selway with British Academy Award (2001) | |
| Born | 14 March 1936 Norwich, England |
| Died | 21 April 2004(2004-04-21) (aged 68) London, England |
| Occupation | Casting director |
| Children | 2 |
Mary Selway (14 March 1936 – 21 April 2004)[1] was an Englishcasting director.
Selway was born in Norwich in 1936, daughter of a cinema manager and impresario.[2] At the age of 13 she enrolled at theItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London to study acting.[3] By 19 she had decided not to become an actress, and went to work as a production assistant atITV before starting to work in casting, first under Miriam Brickman and then, from 1969, underLindsay Anderson at theRoyal Court Theatre in London.[4] By the age of 34 she had started casting films, which she continued for the rest of her life.
Selway worked with a number of renowned directors over three decades, includingSteven Spielberg,Roman Polanski,Clint Eastwood,John Boorman,Sydney Pollack,Robert Altman,Michael Apted,Nicolas Roeg,Fred Schepisi,Fred Zinnemann andRidley Scott.[4][5][6] She was responsible for the casting of 104 films and gained a reputation for fairness, determination, charm, wisdom and irreverence.[7] Selway was always seeking new acting talent, watching films from all over the world and attending fringe theatre performances.[2] She was also a tireless champion of new actors she discovered and nurtured. Unusually, she would stay in touch with the cast throughout the shooting process.[7] In the 2001BAFTA Awards she won theMichael Balcon Award for outstanding British contribution to cinema.[8]
A biographical documentary entitledA Cast of Thousands: The Life of Mary Selway is being produced in celebration of her life. It is directed by Isabelle Gregson, who explained that it aims "in its own small way to give those who didn't have the pleasure of knowing her, a taste for her enormous contribution to Cinema through the eyes and words of those who knew and loved her."[7]
TheBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)Orange Rising Star Award for the best young actor is dedicated to the memory of Mary Selway.[9] Selway's death in 2004 is acknowledged by a memorium at the end credits of the movieHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
She directed the casting of many well-known films, including:
Selway was married to the actorNorman Rodway in January 1966.[10] The couple parted a few years later.[4] She had two daughters with her partner of nineteen years, the actorKeith Buckley: the agent Kate Buckley and the actress Emma Buckley. During her last fourteen years her partner wasIleen Maisel. Selway died of cancer in London, aged 68.[2]
It was at Selway's funeral that the funeral organizer,Eon Productions film producerBarbara Broccoli, met actorDaniel Craig in person for the first time.[11] Broccoli invited Craig to visit her office, where she offered him the iconic role ofJames Bond.[11]
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