Wanna be on MTV? Open casting calls are being held around the country to pick cast members for the 16th season of The Real World, MTV’s hit reality television show. Casting directors from Bunim/Murray Productions, the producers of The Real World, will conduct interviews tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 126 Schine Student Center at Syracuse University.
All applicants are encouraged to “bring themselves and be themselves,” said Alissa Haight, casting director.
“We are always trying to find new and different people with new personalities who have never seen the show before,” added Haight.
Between 500 and 1000 applicants between the ages of 18-24 are expected to attend the event. Because time constraints prevent traditional interviews, applicants should expect to be interviewed in groups of ten by a single casting director. If an applicant is chosen for a call-back interview, that second interview will be conducted in a one-on-one environment.
Although the location of the fantasy house cannot be disclosed, the seven strangers will spend five months living and working in front of millions of viewers. The casting directors understand that this is a terrifying proposition for many potential applicants.
“All we [at MTV] want is people to be themselves,” said Haight. “If something were to tarnish their own reputation it would be because of their own behavior.”
Although a small percentage of the thousands of applicants are actually selected by the casting directors, one Cornell student, Jamie Murray ’99, was cast as a roommate for the “The Real World-New Orleans” season.
The Real World is no longer accepting general applications or home-made tapes. Those interested are asked to fill out a simple form and to bring a photo I.D. and recent picture of themselves, which will not be returned, to an open casting call. In addition to the Syracuse event, open casting calls will be held over the next few months in Arizona, New Mexico, Maryland and California.
Archived article by Anne Ceccarini
Sun Staff Writer