Life & Work with Natalie Ballesteros of Studio City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Ballesteros.

Hi Natalie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m originally from Miami, FL. My parents, older sister, and three older brothers are all Cuban exiles. I was the first in my immediate family to be born in the U.S. I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance from the University of Miami and worked as an actor and singer in New York for the first five years out of college. I then moved to Los Angeles, where I decided to pursue a career in filmmaking.

My first few jobs were as a PA on feature films and as an assistant to one of the Sr. VPs at ICM. It took me a while to figure out which role suited me best in the industry, but I realized that, given my experience as an actor, working at an agency, and behind the scenes in production, casting would be a department where I could apply my experience. Even as a child, I couldn’t read a book or play without thinking about who would play each lead role in a movie version of the story. Casting truly was a natural fit.

I started primarily in feature film casting, but eventually also moved into TV and animation projects. I’ve also worked on talent-based reality series, mostly related to music, given my background as a singer. While working with other casting offices, I worked on series such as Narcos: Mexico and East Los High, as well as various feature films, including Pixar’s Coco.

In early 2020, I joined the team at CBS (Network) as Director of Talent and Casting, but left in mid-2021 to join my two casting partners, Michelle Adams and Alan Luna, to form ABL Casting, my current home. The casting company was launched to highlight a variety of artists in the entertainment industry, focusing on authentic and inclusive representation across film and television, in both live-action and animation.

I’m also beginning to evolve as a producer, developing a number of independent features and TV series. For the past 9 years, I’ve also taught audition techniques with Camera Left/Stage Right, and I recently taught intensives with the Brian Norris Studio.

I’m the proud mother of my 13-year-old son, Eli, and have a very funny and adorable rescue Dachshund named Fred.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never a smooth road. As many people who work independently in this industry know, work is never consistent. You can have several years of non-stop work and be at the peak of your game, but something like a pandemic, strike, or its aftermath can slow the wheels down. Though our team has had the fortune of casting several incredible projects over the past few years, we, as casting directors, like every other department in the industry, have felt the effects of work leaving Los Angeles and even going overseas. It’s been an uphill climb for everyone.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our team focuses on inclusive and authentic casting. Alan and I are both first-generation children of Latino immigrants, and Michelle is African-American. Our goal is to provide opportunities and enlighten our clients about the wealth of talent in the industry, which still suffers from under-representation. Given that I am a fluent Spanish-speaker, I’ve had the good fortune to work on several international projects.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
As much as I’ve worked on very dramatic TV and film projects, I LOVE comedy and hope to do more comedic projects. While at CBS, I covered several comedies, and I enjoyed them so much!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ablcasting