Auditions for major movie role continue in Pharr

The pair of Valley-born casting directors who helped land Jeff Bridges the role he won an Oscar for earlier this month are now hoping to put someone from South Texas on the road to stardom.

Mission's Lindsay Graham and Pharr's J.C. Cantu both work at the Los Angeles-based headquarters of Betty Mae, one of the industry's most esteemed casting agencies. The two have coordinated the selection of lead and supporting cast members for a number of notable films, including Spy Kids, Sin City, Spanglish, The Wrestler, Che, Scooby Doo and Crazy Heart, for which Bridges won the Academy Award.

Today, the two will wrap up a special audition for a starring part in a new film titled Waterbug starring Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) and Diego Luna (Y Tu Mamá También; Rudo y Cursi) and produced by Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code).

They are seeking a male child actor who is:

• 4 to 6 years old
• Latino
• Bilingual in English and Spanish

The auditions will be held from from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. today, Sunday, March 28, at the PSJA North High School theater, 500 E. Nolana in Pharr. Cantu graduated from PSJA North in the late 1990s.

There will be a sign-in sheet at the auditions, and the boys who are trying out will be seen on a first-come basis. Graham and Cantu urge readers who are interested to contact them at waterbugcast@gmail.com.

Waterbug also stars Catalina Sandino Moreno, who received a Best Actress Oscar nomination in 2005, and is directed by Asger Leth. The film is being produced for Universal Studios and Imagine Entertainment.

CASTING CALL
WHEN: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 28
WHERE: PSJA North High School theater, 500 E. Nolana, Pharr
MORE INFO: waterbugcast@gmail.com

Brandon R. Garcia is editor of Festiva. He can be reached at (956) 683-4461.