Sharon Klein, head of casting for Disney Entertainment Television, will be presented with the Hoyt Bowers Award at the Casting Society of America‘s Artios Awards. The honor, named after the late casting director, is given in recognition of the recipient’s body of work and contribution to the casting profession.
“Sharon’s achievements in our industry and in the casting community are unmatched,” said CSA president Destiny Lilly. “Her ability to spotlight creativity and talent have not only elevated productions but have also set a new standard for excellence in the world of entertainment. We are thrilled to honor her with the Hoyt Bowers Award.”
Her current role sees her leading casting teams at 20th Television, 20th Television Animation, ABC Entertainment, ABC Signature, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, Freeform, Onyx Collective and Walt Disney Television Alternative. There, since coming along as part of the company’s 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox Television, she’s been responsible for casting such starry projects as Only Murders in the Building, The Dropout, Fleishman Is in Trouble and, premiering this week, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. During her long tenure at 20th, the Emmy-winning casting director worked on Empire, American Crime Story, How I Met Your Mother, This Is Us, Modern Family and dozens of others.
“I am tremendously grateful to the Casting Society for this incredible honor,” said Klein. “I’ve always considered my work in casting to be an extreme privilege, as it has allowed me to work alongside the most creative and brilliant minds in television while giving me a front-row seat to some of the best performances of our generation. Discovering talent and pulling together award-winning ensembles with my unbelievably talented team has never felt like ‘work,’ which makes receiving the legendary Hoyt Bowers Award that much sweeter.”
Klein will receive the honor during the 2024 Artios Awards on Mar. 7 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. The night will also see Ava DuVernay presented with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for career achievement.