Miami Casting Director Ellen Jacoby
Ellen is a Miami native, having been raised in New Jersey and making her way full circle back to home base. A former professional singer and dancer, she had the ability to travel the world as an international backgammon champion, before returning to her beloved hometown, in the 1980s.
There isn’t a movie-goer around the world whose image of South Beach isn’t the bikini-clad women, roller skaters and pretty people of “The Birdcage”, or the zany-ness of Jim Carrey’s “Ace Ventura” as he makes his way around South Florida or the unusual charisma of “There’s Something About Mary” as it became an instant cult “classic”. . . or the vision of a space shuttle launch in “Contact” at Cape Canaveral or carrier jets taking off from the 7-mile bridge in the Keys in “True Lies.” And all of these were Ellen Jacoby-cast feature films…
Having worked with a who’s who of Hollywood directors, including Steven Soderbergh, Joel Schumacher, Sidney Pollack, The Farrelly Bros., Bob Zemekis, Ron Howard, Mike Nicols, Michael Bay, Randa Haines, Tom Shadyac, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, Garry Marshall, John Landis, James Cameron, Joe Roth, Mira Nair and Tony Scott, Ellen Jacoby is one name that Hollywood keeps at the tip of its tongues, and at the top of its address book.
And Ellen Jacoby is the reason the business keeps returning. Some of her other projects include “Entourage," “A Change Of Heart,” “Rock Of Ages,” and TV series “Burn Notice,” “Justified,” and CSI: Miami.”
Ellen Jacoby was appointed to the First Film Advisory Board, by Governor Jeb Bush, and named “Woman of the Millennium” by Miami Metro Magazine, and a former Mayor of Miami Beach proclaimed October 23rd as Ellen Jacoby Day. She is the former Chair of the Infrastructure Committee of the GMCVB and is currently the VP of the FFPC, Florida Film Production Coalition. Ellen has traveled to Tallahassee to work with legislators regarding the Florida film incentives.
Ellen was presented with the Key to the City of Miami Beach. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from her alma mater Franklin College.
As the founder and President of Ellen Jacoby Casting International, a casting office with separate film, television, commercial, and Hispanic divisions, Ellen has employed over 300,000 Florida actors, dancers, and performers over the years…..
There have been those who have come and gone in this business, and Ellen Jacoby has not only survived but flourished.
Ellen's Classes:
Class: Teen Scene Study class
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 6 PM to 7:30 PM Eastern (Ages 13-16)
Class: Adult Scene Study class
Day: Thursdays
Time: 6 PM to 7:30 PM Eastern (Ages 17+)
Cost: $195 / per month.
We do allow a one-time trial acting class in these classes. We will prorate if you enroll after the start of the month. This is an ongoing class, so you MUST provide ten days' notice by canceling using the online cancellation form no later than the 20th of the month before the first.