Stephen Salamunovich

Stephen Salamunovich CSA, brought a diverse background to his 31-year career as a film and television casting director. He began his professional life as a musician performing and recording as a vocal soloist with such groups as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Opera Company, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the soundtrack of "The Godfather" and the Disney recording of "It's a Small World". As a studio drummer, keyboardist and vocalist he has worked and recorded with numerous artists including contemporary jazz artists Gerald Albright, David Benoit, Taylor Mesple' and Peter White, NBC's "The Voice" sensation, Mycle Wastman, renowned bluesman, Doug MacLeod and Michael Tomlinson. In 1984, he was offered an opportunity to work for the seminal, Los Angeles casting firm, Anderson, McCook & White and what began as a part-time interest became a full-time passion. After a five-year apprenticeship under Nancy McCook and Catherine White, he moved to Seattle, Washington in an effort to embrace a better quality of life and founded Complete Casting. Stephen has worked with such Academy Award-winning directors as Milos Forman and Bernardo Bertolucci. His television credits number over Four thousand projects including numerous features for television, the series Simon & Simon, Ferris Bueller and In Living Color, as well as literally thousands of commercials, industrials and feature films. He is the winner and a three-time nominee of casting's highest honor, the Artios Award© given by his peers in the Casting Society of America©. He holds the distinction of being the first and one of only three Lead Casting Directors to win the award outside of New York or Los Angeles. He is a frequent guest speaker and facilitator to numerous professional groups and acting workshops and has made many appearances on television and radio as an industry expert. Salamunovich also served as the expert witness for the LA City Attorney's office during their three-year landmark, "pay-to-play" casting workshop, scam prosecutions in 2018 and the Geoffrey Rush "Me Too" Australian defamation suit. He has served on the boards of the IFP and the Centerstage Council of the Seattle Theater Group and is a strong advocate for arts education and outreach programs that support the involvement of youth in the arts. He retired from casting in May of 2016 after 31 years and close to 4000 projects.

Salamunovich is a leading acting teacher and executive, presentational media coach. He has prepared many public and private figures for appearances on such shows as Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, The Today Show and The Tonight Show. He has helped sports stars like Kareem Abdul Jabbar attain celebrity, endorsement deals and has assisted CEO's, political figures, trial attorneys, chefs, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs and sales teams on communicating from the energetic place that is far more impactful than the mere words used. His work is based on his vast and unique experience coaching literally hundreds of thousands of actors in high-pressure auditions combined with cutting-edge neurological and sociological research. He is at work on an upcoming book based upon the revolutionary techniques he's successfully helped his clients to master. He lives in Seattle with his wife Sheila where he roots for the Seahawks and also the Mariners.... except when they occasionally play his hometown Dodgers.