Of the many films and series veteran casting directorAvy Kaufmanhas worked on, her resume contains few horror projects. Her experience in and around the genre includes the classic psychological thrillerThe Sixth Senseas well asMatt Reeves’sLet Me InandPrometheus,Ridley Scott’s prequel to theAlienfranchise. One title that stands out among the rest, however, isScream 4, the at the time long-awaited sequel to one of horror’s most beloved franchises and the final film of legendary horror maestroWes Craven. During an interview forCollider Ladies NightwithPerri Nemiroff, Kaufman detailed how she became the casting director for the horror sequel as well as the unique circumstances of working on aScreamfilm.
Kaufman noted thatScreamwas never originally on her radar to begin with as someone who wasn’ta fan of scary movies. That all changed with the help of Craven. “When I was asked to castScream [4], the preface to that is, the most beautiful director in the world who has left our world, [Wes Craven], he actually asked me to castMusic of the Heart, the first movie he did that was not a scary movie,” she told Nemiroff. Released in 1999,Music of the Heartwas far out ofCraven’s normal wheelhouse, instead adapting the true story of music teacherRoberta Guasparias she works with her former pupils to raise funds to keep her program for teaching underprivileged students in Harlem alive. The films would receive a pair of Oscar nominations including one forMeryl Streepin the lead role.
After serving as casting director there, Kaufman built up a strong rapport with Craven that would influence the director’s decision to bring her aboardScream. Craven also went to great lengths to ensure Kaufman enjoyed her time working on the horror film. She spoke to the casting process and whether she was let in on the closely-guarded secret of whom the film’s killer was, adding:
“So we had a beautiful relationship and then he said, ‘Will you castScream?’ And I said, ‘If you explain to me’ because I’m a scaredy cat. You’re asking me to castScream? Nobody would ever ask me to castScream! Wes, he studied I think to be a priest and so we went into this whole detail of that. Yes, I did know who the killers were and I had so much fun because he let me have fun with it versus being scared. I was a scaredy cat! But I love that you did that because Wes was the most lovely man in the world.”
Kaufman Gave Craven an Excellent Cast forScream 4
The cast forScream 4which Kaufman helped assemble was a particularly strong one. Alongside the returning trio ofNeve Campbell,Courteney Cox, andDavid Arquette, the film introduced scream queenEmma Robertsas Sidney Prescott’s cousin Jill andHayden Panettiereas the fan-favorite Kirby Reedwho recently reappeared alive and well inScream VI. Also appearing in the sequel wereRory Culkin,Adam Brody,Anthony Anderson,Marley Shelton,Alison Brie,Mary McDonnell, and more, including cameos fromAnna PaquinandKristen Bell. That cast is part of the reasonScream 4is considered now as one of the franchise’s best outings, even if critics at the time were more lukewarm on Craven’s final outing.
Although the horror master behindScreamandA Nightmare on Elm Streetis gone, his legacywas carried on masterfully through Radio SilencewithMatt Bettinelli-OlpinandTyler Gilletthelming the next two entries which both received critical acclaim and effectively bridged the gab between the original trio andthe new “Core Four.“Scream 7has already been ordered, thoughdirecting duties will now fall toHappy Death Day’sChristopherLandonwho looks to continue the magic into the franchise’s new era.
