The Wall Street Journal
February 17, 2006
The Hunk Shortage
To Fill New Dramas, Casting Directors Tussle Over Hot Guys Who Can Act; Taking the Search to Edmonton
by Sam Schechner
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His name is one of the hottest in network television this spring. He is being pursued by some of the most influential casting directors in Hollywood. And you've probably never heard of him.
Over the past few weeks, Michael Vartan, the cute love interest from the movie "Monster- in-Law" and the heartthrob on TV's "Alias," has found himself on a short list of actors who are parrying multiple offers to star in new TV pilots. Why? He represents a commodity for which demand has grown to outpace supply over the last few years: sexy, rugged-looking guys who can act.
The television industry has just kicked off its annual casting season for pilot shows, from which broadcast executives will select new series for this coming fall. Scores of pilots are feverishly competing over potential leading men from a list that casting directors say doesn't exceed 200 names. The scuffles can become so fierce that executives are making snap decisions to lock in even relatively unknown actors before losing them to another network.
The sought-after type: "He's that 30-to-40 charismatic guy with some testosterone -- someone that women want to sleep with and men want to drink with," says Marc Hirschfeld, executive vice president of casting for NBC. Mr. Hirschfeld himself is scrambling to find studly actors to fill key roles in the 20 or so pilots his network will produce this spring.....
