Casting Call for Actors with Down Syndrome

Role: Plaintiff — Melissa Guthrie (Female, 20, Any Race)
Melissa Guthrie, a driven 20-year-old beauty queen, competed in a pageant directed by Daryl Evans. She claims Daryl unfairly disqualified her to clear the path for a contestant he’s been romantically linked to, costing Melissa her shot at the crown and staining her reputation in the pageant world.

We are casting featured participants to portray individuals involved in a real small-claims case for the unscripted TV series Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams. This role requires strong improv ability, grounded real-person energy, and believable emotional nuance to bring the reenactment to life.

Character Overview: Melissa is beauty, brains, and relentless ambition. She’s been competing since childhood and knows exactly what it takes to win—poised, polished, and strategic. Under that pageant-perfect exterior is someone fiercely competitive and deeply offended by being dismissed or disrespected. She’s convinced she was targeted, and she’s not backing down.
Requirements:

• Strong improv ability with natural, grounded delivery

• Able to portray “pageant polish” (composed, charismatic, camera-ready)

• Comfortable playing competitive intensity, controlled anger, and emotional hurt

• Can credibly deliver confident testimony while under scrutiny

• Ability to react in the moment while keeping the performance believable

Compensation:

• Paid lead role (rate provided upon booking)

Role: Defendant — Talia Brooks (29, Any Race)

Case Summary: Talia was hired by Marcus as a professional stand-in girlfriend for a 4-hour family reunion. Marcus never disclosed the arrangement to his family, and Talia’s warm, engaging presence sold the relationship as real. Marcus claims her continued friendly responses in group chats afterward maintained the illusion and contributed to his real-life breakup and $3,500 in losses. Talia maintains she simply did her job, responded politely when contacted, and never intended to mislead anyone.

Introduction: We are casting featured participants to portray individuals involved in a real small-claims case for the unscripted TV series Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams. This role requires strong improv ability, grounded real-person energy, and believable emotional nuance for reenactments.

Character Overview: Talia is a warm, emotionally intelligent professional companion/actress who naturally makes people feel seen and valued. She’s socially gifted—not flirtatious, just effortlessly engaging. She didn’t fall into the role—she is the role. She was never trying to lead Marcus or the family on, but people often misread her warmth as a connection.
Requirements:

• Strong improv ability with calm, confident presence

• Natural charisma and conversational ease

• Can communicate warmth while maintaining clear boundaries

• Able to play subtle frustration and firm self-advocacy without becoming harsh

• Believable emotional restraint and professionalism

Compensation:

• • $20/per hour

Case Summary: Marcus hired Talia as a stand-in girlfriend for a 4-hour family reunion appearance. He never told his family the relationship was staged, and Talia—warm, engaging, and professional—played the part so convincingly that the entire family believed it was real. Marcus claims that Talia continued responding warmly in group chats afterward, unintentionally maintaining the illusion. He says this lingering “fake relationship” contributed to the breakup of his real relationship and cost him $3,500 in emotional distress and trip-related losses. Talia maintains she was simply doing her job, being kind, and never intended to mislead anyone.

We are casting featured participants to portray individuals involved in a real small-claims case for the unscripted TV series Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams. These roles require strong improv ability, grounded real-person energy, and the ability to bring believable emotional nuance to reenactments.

Role: Plaintiff — Marcus Hill (32, Any Race)

Character Overview: Marcus is a genuine, introverted IT tech who overthinks everything but still believes in romance. He’s not creepy—just socially cautious and desperately hopeful. Smart, literal, kind-hearted, and a little emotionally clueless, Marcus sees the world in cause-and-effect logic. When feelings get involved, he’s lost. Hiring a stand-in girlfriend made sense to him—until his family believed every second of it. The more he tries to explain, the worse it sounds.
Requirements:

• Strong improv ability

• Natural, grounded “real person” energy

• Able to play emotional nuance (defensive, embarrassed, vulnerable)

• Comfortable portraying awkward sincerity without becoming broad comedy

• Able to stay composed in confrontation and hit key story beats while sounding spontaneous

Compensation:

• $20/per hour

Black Grandmother Who Can Braid Hair (Non-Union Commercial)

Job Description
A non-union commercial is casting a Black grandmother with real hair-braiding skills for a family-centered on-camera spot. Production is looking for warm, authentic talent who can comfortably braid hair on set and bring natural, welcoming energy to camera. This is a local hire commercial opportunity for talent who can work in New Orleans.

Job Responsibilities

• Appear on camera portraying a grandmother in a commercial scene

• Braid hair naturally and confidently on set as part of the action

• Follow direction for timing, movement, and continuity across multiple takes

• Maintain a friendly, professional presence in a fast-paced production environment

Requirements

• Black female talent, grandmother age range

• Must be able to braid hair (real skill required)

• Comfortable being filmed for a commercial and working with family-style scenes

• Local hire able to work in New Orleans (no travel provided)

• Able to provide recent photos and basic casting details for consideration

Compensation

• $400 flat rate (non-union)

Suspicious Friend of the Perp (Male, 20s–30s) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting a featured background role for a “Suspicious Friend of the Perp” in reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking male talent in their 20s–30s who can bring a tense, watchable presence and deliver believable reactions that help sell the story. This role appears in murder-related content typical of true crime recreations. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray a suspicious friend character in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, timing, and continuity across multiple takes

• Deliver natural, readable reactions and body language without dialogue

• Remain professional on set and stay ready between setups

Requirements

• Male talent, ages 20s–30s

• Strong on-camera presence; able to play “shifty” or suspicious through expression and posture

• Comfortable appearing in murder-related true crime reenactment content

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $75/day

Perp’s Mother (Female, 40s) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting a featured background role for “Perp’s Mother” in reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking female talent in their 40s who can bring believable, grounded reactions to support the story. This role appears in murder-related content typical of true crime recreations. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray “Perp’s Mother” in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, timing, and continuity across multiple takes

• Deliver natural, emotionally appropriate reactions without dialogue

• Maintain professionalism on a working set and stay ready between setups

Requirements

• Female talent, age range 40s

• Comfortable appearing in murder-related true crime reenactment content

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $75/day

Perp’s Father (Male, 40s–50s) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting a featured background role for “Perp’s Father” in reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking male talent in their 40s–50s who can deliver grounded, believable reactions and help create realistic family moments within the story. This role appears in murder-related content typical of true crime recreations. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray “Perp’s Father” in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, timing, and continuity across multiple takes

• Deliver natural, emotionally appropriate reactions without dialogue

• Remain professional on set and stay ready between setups

Requirements

• Male talent, ages 40s–50s

• Comfortable appearing in murder-related true crime reenactment content

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $75/day

Rick’s Wife (White Female, 40s) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting a featured background role for “Rick’s Wife” in reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking a white female in her 40s with an attractive, natural on-camera look who can follow direction and help portray realistic relationship moments within the story. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray “Rick’s Wife” in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, reactions, and continuity across multiple takes

• Maintain a camera-ready appearance and consistent performance throughout filming

• Work professionally in a crewed environment and stay ready between setups

Requirements

• White female talent, age range 40s

• Attractive, natural on-camera presence

• Comfortable appearing in true crime reenactment content

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $75/day

Firefighters (Male, 20s–40s) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting male background actors to portray firefighters in reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is looking for talent in their 20s–40s who can take direction well, move naturally in uniformed action, and help create realistic emergency-response moments on camera. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray a firefighter in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, movement, and continuity across multiple takes

• Maintain a professional, camera-ready presence while working around crew and equipment

• Perform light physical action as needed for emergency-response staging

Requirements

• Male talent, ages 20s–40s

• Comfortable working on camera in a true crime reenactment setting

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $75/day

Trucker (White Male) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting a “Trucker” suspect role for reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking a white male with an intimidating presence and a distinctive look—facial hair encouraged, with long hair or an interesting, rugged vibe. This on-camera reenactment role includes tobacco-chewing content, so applicants must be comfortable portraying that action. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray a trucker suspect in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for movement, blocking, and continuity across multiple takes

• Perform on-camera actions as directed, including tobacco-chewing portrayal

• Maintain a consistent look and professional set etiquette throughout filming

Requirements

• White male talent

• Intimidating build/features; beard or facial hair preferred

• Long hair or an interesting, rugged look is a plus

• Comfortable with tobacco-chewing content on camera (portrayal required)

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $75/day

Bank Tellers (Female, 40s–60s) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting female background actors to portray bank tellers in reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking talent ages 40s–60s who can deliver natural, believable workplace reactions and follow direction in a fast-moving set environment. Local hire only in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray a bank teller in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, timing, and continuity across multiple takes

• Maintain a professional, camera-ready presence while working around a full crew

• React naturally in background action to support scene realism

Requirements

• Female talent, ages 40s–60s

• Comfortable working on camera in a true crime reenactment setting

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work as a local hire in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

Compensation

• $100/day

Detective Extra #1 (Male, 35–50) – True Crime Recreation Series

Job Description
A non-union true crime recreation series is casting a detective background role for reenactment scenes (no scripted audio). Production is seeking male talent ages 35–50 with a fit build who can work as a local hire in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. This is a great opportunity for performers who can take direction well, hit marks, and maintain continuity in crime recreation storytelling.

Job Responsibilities

• Portray a detective in non-speaking true crime reenactment scenes

• Follow direction for blocking, timing, and continuity across multiple takes

• Maintain a professional on-set presence and stay camera-ready between setups

• Work comfortably in a production environment with realistic crime scene action

Requirements

• Male talent, ages 35–50

• Fit build

• Non-union talent

• Must be able to work locally in the Knoxville, TN area (no travel, lodging, or stipends)

• Reliable availability for the required production days (may be one or multiple days)

Compensation

• $125/day