“My favorite age to tell an actor that they booked the job is 18 to 25 years old,” says Leslie Zaslower, the former director of casting for Nickelodeon’s New York office. “To make that call to someone and to validate them is my favorite call to make. I just love it. And kids, too, because I love hearing them squeal. It’s so fun. That’s their dream!”
Zaslower has made many dreams come true over the course of her 17-year career in the entertainment industry as a casting director, an agent, a voice director, and an acting coach. She’s worked with children and adults of all ages, but her focus has been developing young talent.
At Nickelodeon, Zaslower cast the principal voice roles for many of the network’s shows and also oversaw all casting of Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick at Nite, and Nickelodeon’s voiceover and live-action projects and promos in New York. She was the casting director for animated preschool series such as “Dora the Explorer,” “Bubble Guppies,” “Go, Diego! Go!,” and “Team Umizoomi,” as well as Nickelodeon live-action shows such as “Victorious,” “How to Rock,” and “The Troop” and multiple pilots.
