Award Winning Casting Director Selma Nicholls Was Changing the Face of Casting Before Diversity Was A Mainstream Touch Point

In this episode of the emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Athene Parker is joined by award-winning Casting Director Selma Nicholls, founder of Looks Like Me Casting, for a powerful and inspiring conversation about representation, resilience, diversity and creating meaningful change within the creative industries.With a rich background spanning dance, theatre and the arts, Selma has dedicated her career to challenging the lack of representation on screen and within casting. Her journey toward founding Looks Like Me Casting began in 2015 after a profound moment with her then three-year-old daughter, who questioned why nobody on screen “looks like me.”Long before diversity and inclusion became mainstream industry conversations, Selma was already pioneering change, championing authentic representation. Alongside her work as a Casting Director, Selma is also a proud board member of Punchdrunk Entertainment and continues to advocate passionately for visibility, opportunity and equity across the arts. Selma reflects on the realities of building a business as a single mother, navigating personal and professional challenges.Together, Athene and Selma discuss:Representation and diversity in castingInclusion within advertising, film and the artsWomen founders and creative leadershipResilience and navigating adversityMotherhood and entrepreneurshipIdentity, visibility and belongingChallenging industry norms and creating changeAuthentic storytelling and representation on screenSelma’s work has been recognised with multiple industry honours including:Black British Theatre Awards – Best Casting Director RecognitionCasting Directors Association Awards – Best Casting of a Live Performance (Rumble in the Jungle)Casting Directors Association Awards – Best Casting of Open Media (Queen Charlotte Global Orchestra Promo)A woman who has been no stranger to challenges, Selma has also navigated deeply traumatic experiences that profoundly impacted both her confidence and her relationship with performance and movement in her earlier years. As a single mother, business founder and pioneer in this field, she has channelled those experiences into purpose, creativity and advocacy -bringing warmth, optimism and generosity to everything she does.The chat is woven around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy. 🎧✨Awards:Black British Theatre Awards - Best Casting Director Recognition Casting Directors Association Awards - Best Casting of a Live Performance 'Rumble in the Jungle'Casting Directors Association Awards - Best Casting of an Open Media 'Queen Charlotte Global Orchestra Promo'The chat is weaved around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy! Track 1 - Rasta Medley - Groundation - Nyabinghi Drumming of Jamaica Track 2 - Kirk Franklin (Love Theory) Track 3 - Cutty Ranks (Who Say Me Dun) Track 4 - Erykah Badu (Bag Lady)Track 5 - Little Simz (Point And Kill feat. Obongjayar)Track 6 - Nina Simone (Here Comes The Sun)The emPOWER Breakfast - Selma Nicholls Spotify PlaylistBooks:Be More Human - Rethinking the Rules of High-Performance Teamwork, by Caspar CravenEgo is the Enemy - The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent, by Ryan Holiday48 Laws of Power, by Robert GreeneMasterclasses and Podcasts:LOVE all Masterclasses, especially Spike Lee, Issa Rae, Serena Williams, Chris Voss https://www.masterclass.comLove https://www.youtube.com/c/YourAuntiesCouldNever https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEOSelma Nicholls, Looks Like Me Casting, diversity in casting, representation in media, inclusive casting, women in film, women in advertising, Black British creatives, diversity and inclusion, authentic storytelling, casting director, creative leadership, women founders, resilience, empowerment podcast, representation on screen, creative industries, motherhood and entrepreneurship, inclusion in advertising, belonging and identity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.