Influential Woman · Casting Director

Yolanda Hunt

Brand Ambassador, EV D-I-T-O

NV 89032

Her Story

About Yolanda

I have been in the entertainment industry for 30 years, working as a casting director for the last 10 years. My first job ever was on Poetic Justice, given to me by my mentor Robbie Reed. Throughout my career, I have been the platform for many actors you see on TV today - they've come through my way, and by giving them a callback, bringing them to see the director or producer, or setting up general meetings, those moments may have shifted their careers. I am very much in the creative space and still like to bring some kind of richness to a project. Now I am moving into executive producing, which is my next lane and platform. I am also branching off into the tech world to see where I can bridge the gap. Being a casting director is solely entrepreneurial - I have to get these jobs and go out and make these relationships with directors and producers. I pride myself on being consistent, humble, and welcoming because I am a vessel to make sure that actors can get their job. I don't consider myself any more of a giant than the next person, even though some of my achievements have been maybe a little bit step further than the other. During the pandemic, I was doing free Zooms once a week where everyone was tapping in, we were doing acting classes, we were laughing, and getting back into the spirit of it, knowing that we had a new lane that we were going to have to try to transition into.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Yolanda

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think the people I have surrounded myself with - if I hadn't had the tribe and the team and the motivators that I've had to achieve where I've gotten, I don't think that I would have had the strength to get through certain things if it wasn't for them. I give everyone else around me their flowers. Robbie Reed and Leah Daniels Butler have always been someone I could pick up the phone and call, and they'll pick up and be like, look, I'm in a little conundrum, I need how do I navigate this with this kind of budget? And they will give me the best advice ever. I would say that those two women have been the essential stepping stones for me and how I have created who I am in my lane.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would just say, believe in yourself. Don't let anyone doubt what you're capable of doing, and there is no limit on your goals. I've been in this business for 30 years and there still has been no limit. So you can always achieve what you're looking to obtain, as long as you put your mind to it, and your dedication and your hard work - it will pay off. If there's any self-doubt within yourself, because this is a very sticky and mind-strong business, you've gotta have those things. Those are the fundamentals that you need when stepping into the entertainment industry and any branch that you do. You have to have that self-confidence and believing in yourself and obtaining more goals and not just being stagnant, but you want to excel.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Loyalty and being authentic are just one of the most true to me, because I've always been authentic throughout my whole entire career. If anyone you talk to, someone that I worked with in 1990 to 2026, they would say I was consistent. I pride on being consistent, I pride on being welcoming, because I am a casting director and sometimes people can be very intimidated, so I try to have a welcoming demeanor so that you can do me a service, because I would be doing a disservice if I made you nervous and I made you not want to come in and do your job, because that's all I am, is a vessel to make sure that you can get your job. I pride myself on being consistent, humble, because I don't consider myself any more of a giant than the next person, even though some of my achievements have been maybe a little bit step further than the other. It doesn't matter. There's no measure in steps, there's no measure and accuracy. It's just what we do and what we can perfect in our lane. I pride myself on being consistent and loyal to myself, because I can be those to others.

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