Calleri Casting Changes Name to Calleri Jensen Davis (EXCLUSIVE)

Calleri Casting is being renamed Calleri Jensen Davis.

The rechristening is taking place as a nod to the fact that the company has become triumvirate of co-equals, with James Calleri Erica Jensen, and Paul Davis all operating as full partners.

As part of the reorganization, the company said it is “reaffirming its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to better meet the needs of a rapidly shifting entertainment industry and ensure equal access to opportunity for all performers.” Jensen will focus on cultivating and providing opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of color across all mediums, including movies, television shows, audiobooks and Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.

Calleri Jensen Davis was founded in 2006. Among the agency’s upcoming theatrical projects are the Broadway productions of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf,” “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” and “Blue,” as well as recent television hits such as AppleTV+’s “Dickinson” and “When They See Us” on Netflix. Most recently they were nominated for an Artios Award for Excellence in Casting for the “Pride Plays” which played Off-Broadway last season.

The company has earned 14 Artois Awards over the course of its operation. Other projects include the Broadway revival of “Burn This” starring Adam Driver and Keri Russell; “The Visit” starring Chita Rivera and Roget Rees; and “The Elephant Man” starring Bradley Cooper, Patricia Clarkson and Alessandro Nivola. Film credits include “Love is Blind” and “Another Earth” and on TV the company has worked on “Army Wives” and “Monk.”

In a joint statement, Mr. Calleri, Ms. Jensen, and Mr. Davis said, “The summer of 2020 delivered a long overdue reckoning around the issue of racial justice. It is the responsibility of every industry, including ours, to meet this moment by carving out a fairer, more equitable path forward. We are entering 2021 with a renewed vision for how we can fulfill this moral imperative across every discipline we service.”

Jensen added, “As a Black business owner, and one of the few BIPOC casting directors in New York, this is a conversation I’ve been involved in for a long time. I know I speak for many when I say I am optimistic about the prospect of real and lasting change when it comes to the stories that get told and who gets to tell them. That said, our primary goal of this renewed focus is to continue to fulfill our team’s mission: to bring the very best talent to each and every project we work on.”

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