For all of its messed-up familial and romantic relationships, the first season of Beef really came down to the mortal enemies at its center, played by Emmy winners Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. For Season 2, the canvas expanded… and so did the beef.
Creator Lee Sung Jin turned his focus to a collection of couples, the primary two of which are portrayed by Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton. In an exclusive diary from behind the scenes, Lee speaks with Season 2 casting director, three-time Emmy winner Jeanie Bacharach, about finding a cast that could nail the story’s tricky tone.
Bacharach also spoke with Gold Derby about the challenges of building a believable relationship from the ground up.
Gold Derby: What did you and Lee Sung Jin discuss during your first meeting for the project?
Jeanie Bacharach: I’ve been lucky enough to work on some things that have this kind of tricky tonal line, so we discussed finding humor and absurdity while still keeping it grounded and real and authentic. We met before there were any scripts written yet, but he knew the direction he wanted to go in. He felt like it was going to be important for the emotional depth to be even more so in season two. Finding real emotional truth while also being able to walk that tone of the show was really going to be important.
Knowing the season, that makes sense a major priority. Did that strike you as a particular challenge for, or is that within the wheelhouse of what you’re always doing?
Not to toot my own horn, but…
Toot away!
That’s the place I like to operate from always. I started out casting theater, and theater is real and raw and happening in the moment. You don’t get another take. That emotional truth in the moment has always sort of existed for me in the casting process and and when I watch actors, and what I respond to and actors.
When that emotional truth is primarily about romantic couples, does chemistry become even more important?
We got so lucky with Oscar and Carey having worked together before, so you knew that that chemistry was going to be there. They worked together at different points in their lives too, so they really were able to build out from all of their experiences together. With [a pair like] Cailee and Charles, there’s always a leap of faith. But if you have really, really great actors, they’re going to find the chemistry.
So you come onto the project, there are no scripts yet. What are you doing as soon as you’re on the project?
You’re running through ideas. Sonny [which Lee goes by socially] and I are texting furiously. Part of the fun is that Sonny is so collaborative. Casting early is important for him because as he’s starting to write scripts, it helps him so much to be able to know who he’s writing for. Then you’re just throwing around ideas, and then that idea causes another idea. You are also putting together an ensemble. You’re trying to find actors who you think have a common way of working. That’s where I think chemistry comes from, too.
Outside of finding the core four, what were the other major priorities?
It was important to build the country club world. It’s a very elite country club, so that’s where the fun of all of those cameos comes in. Who’s the level of athlete or musician who’s going to be at this very exclusive club? Man, we ran through so many ideas.
The cameo I wanted to talk about specifically was Michael Phelps.
So good! When Josh has to send him the money, it had to be who was going to make the most impact when they say “at so-and-so.” “At Michael Phelps.”
Was that conceive as “There’s going to be a vaguely threatening celebrity presence at the club”?
It wasn’t even so much “vaguely threatening.” I think Michael brought something to that. Sonny’s so encouraging and so supportive and willing to play that I think they sort of found that, but clearly, Michael is an intense guy. That’s why he’s achieved what he has.
When you have a cast assembled and your job is nominally done, is there a feeling that all of your work is still theoretical until filming begins? That this is your best guess?
It’s a leap of faith. You hope that you’ve done the right work and understand who these actors are that you’re putting together. You’re putting together a family. You’re putting together a work environment. If you feel like you’ve done your best to make sure that they are going to click. I liken it to giving birth. You just have to send them out into the world and hope that they make you proud.
The next installment in the “Making Of” series debuts May 26, featuring the series’ production and costume design.
This article and video were presented by Netflix.
