Casting director and producer Cassandra Kulukundis has taken home the first ever Best Casting award at the Oscars. The 54-year old Hollywood veteran won the ceremony’s newest award for her work in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.
In her acceptance speech, Kulukundis paid tribute to the long career she has had working alongside her director, who she began interning for in his first feature more than thirty years ago.
“I just thank you for ten movies,” she said to Thomas Anderson from the stage. “We’ve done this for over thirty years, like we grew up together, I guess. And this is freaking insane.”
Cheekily, she added — “And I have [an Oscar] before you, which is also crazy. I hope you get one tonight.”
During her speech, Kulukundis described the process of working with the famed auteur.
“When Paul Thomas Anderson calls you, you enter the PTA witness protection program, and you literally don’t talk to your friends and your family unless they have somebody that’s right for the movie.”
She thanked the Academy “for even adding this category, and for the casting directors that fought tirelessly to make it happen despite everything in their way.”
Four out of the five nominees in the category were women.
New Zealand costume designer Kate Hawley became the second woman from her country to win an Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
During her speech, Hawley thanked the Academy for recognising her craft, and acknowledged her fellow nominees.
“It’s been such a privilege to stand alongside [you]”, she said. “Our nominations are your nominations. We share this with you.”
Addressing the director, she continued, “Guillermo, I’m not going to cry. Thank you for the vision and for taking us on your journey. It’s been a great privilege to be part of it all.”