Casting Director Renee Godbout on how extras get cast to play dead on TV.

After casting extras on "Law & Order Criminal Intent" (starring Chris Noth) for two seasons, I’m still surprised that everyone begs to play dead. Strangely, the idea of playing a dead body is very attractive to many actors. I even know several principle actors who are willing to work as an extra if promised a posthumous role!

Unfortunately not just anyone is selected to be a dead body. All featured dead bodies are cast from photos approved by the director. I usually submit between 5 to 10 photos for one dead body! Sometimes the director will even have actors come in for interviews. Surprisingly, the casting of a dead body is usually the director’s biggest concern. They always have a specific image in mind, including age, body type, ethnicity, and even hair color.

After getting cast, I have the not-so-fun job of explaining to the actor how they were murdered. My co-worker, for instance, once had to tell each girl he called that they would be portraying a rape victim. Casting directors try to be upfront with actors about uncomfortable situations, so there’s no surprise when talents get on set.

Once there, most people do have a good time playing dead bodies. They don’t seem to mind lying still and holding their breath at the right moments. On an episode of "Criminal Intent," I cast a Pakistani couple who had been murdered. The woman later told me how much fun it was and that Chris Noth had kept trying to make her laugh. Luckily, there are some moments where I can pick just about anyone to be a dead body. Those are the scenes that take place in the morgue. The bodies aren’t featured and it’s usually just their feet you see sticking out of a sheet. But these actors still get to have fun make-up applied and don a toe tag on their feet.

I can’t tell you the amount of photos I've received of actors I cast as dead bodies. It’s a popular screen grab. So if your goal is to be the next victim of a heinous crime, please be patient. There’s a lot more to it than you think.

Renee Godbout - Freelance Casting Director. Renee Godbout recently worked on the first season of The CW's popular teen show Gossip Girl at Grant Wilfey Casting. Some past projects include 2 seasons of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the pilot for Dirty Sexy Money, and the upcoming Jonathan Demme-directed Dancing with Shiva.

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