what goes into the casting of a major motion picture or a successful television show?

Answer 1

In some cases, there is an open casting where people can come in and read lines in front of a casting director. Several people will have a call-back with some higher ups. There may be second and third call-backs, the further along, the more important the people in the room, eventually including the director, producer, and any members of the cast already chosen.

In some cases, roles are written especially for certain actors, and they may read lines in casting sessions, or may even recommend other actors for the part. Often, agents campaign for their clients to get the role. In big movies, this is often the case where someone like you or me has no chance to get the lead, but there is still casting sessions for minor roles, extras, etc.

Nowadays, its the in thing for former big movie actors to do television, so they don't necessarily do much for auditioning, but once upon a time, pilots were shot with a bunch of unknown actors.

Answer 2

Because his movies sell. Hollywood is very conservative. Which means if one good (profitable) movie is made from an author, they'll make more. See movies are art by committee, which means nobody ever knows quite what makes a successful movie by themselves. One guy is hiring the best (profitable) actors. Another is picking sets, etc.. Which is why you have so many Philip Dick novels made into sci-fi movies. Which is why Stephen King novels are bought sight unseen for movies. They're some of the few non-children authors which can sell based on their name alone. Oh and Stan Lee is a children's author, look how much crap of his they've turned into movies recently. Now a really good author's books keep getting made even when one of his novels is turned into a mediocre movie. I add this because they're advertising Savages in the theaters, despite how much the movie Death and Life of Bobby Z sucked.