Wittney Horton on casting 'Backrooms' and coaching Kane Parsons

This week, Kim Masters speaks with casting director Wittney Horton about helping Kane Parsons navigate his feature debut, Backrooms. Horton shares how she used a practice Zoom call to prepare Parsons for a meeting with Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor. She also considers how the new Oscar for casting might change the way her colleagues approach their craft, and whether an actor’s social media following should influence casting decisions. Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni explore what the 2026 midterm results could mean for Hollywood in the coming year. They discuss whether changes in the Senate could create hurdles for the federal tax incentive endorsed by Trump, and whether the recent Skydance deal could draw scrutiny from both the House and Senate.