STEPHEN SALAMUNOVICH

Stephen Salamunovich spent 31 years as a film and television casting director working on thousands of productions for television, film, and commercial media. During that time he collaborated with hundreds of directors including Oscar-winners Miloš Forman and Bernardo Bertolucci and cast well over three thousand projects ranging from network television series, movies for television, national commercial campaigns, and feature films.

His television credits include series such as Simon & Simon, Ferris Bueller, and In Living Color, along with numerous feature films including The Details starring Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, and Laura Linney.

Salamunovich is the winner and three-time nominee of the Artios Award, casting’s highest honor presented by his peers in the Casting Society of America. He is also the first — and one of only three — lead casting directors ever to win the award while working outside New York or Los Angeles.

Over the course of his casting career, Salamunovich presided over hundreds of thousands of high-pressure auditions, evaluating performances while solving performance barriers with solutions that had to work on the spot and with the clock running. This unique experience gave him a rare ability to quickly identify and resolve the obstacles that prevent authentic presence from reaching the audience. He later supplemented this practical experience with independent study in human behavior, neuroscience, and performance psychology, further refining the techniques he now applies with performers and non-performers alike in high-stakes public and media environments.

Early in this casting work Salamunovich was referred athletes by prominent entertainment agent Henry Bushkin, longtime representative for Johnny Carson. That introduction led to work with NBA basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and sparked Salamunovich’s interest in how an athlete’s on-camera presence can influence commercial perception and endorsement opportunity. He now advises select sports agents when their clients’ expanding media exposure creates moments where audience perception—and endorsement value—are often shaped.

He has prepared many public figures for major broadcast appearances including Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today, and The Tonight Show. His clients have included CEOs, trial attorneys, political figures, chefs, authors, entrepreneurs, and professional athletes appearing in high-visibility media environments.

Before entering casting, Salamunovich began his professional career as a musician in his native Los Angeles, performing as a vocalist with organizations including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Opera Company, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His recording work includes contemporary artists David Benoit, Michael Tomlinson, Gerald Albright, Peter White, the soundtrack to The Godfather and the Disney recording of It's a Small World, later designated for landmark preservation by the Library of Congress.

Salamunovich retired from casting in 2016 after a 31-year career and now focuses on advisory work related to media presence, perception, and high-stakes performance. He lives in Seattle with his wife Sheila and continues to work professionally as a performing and recording musician playing drums. He is currently at work on his forthcoming book illuminating the principles behind his legendary work.