Francine Maisler’s Wild Casting Ride: Chalamet, Erivo, ‘Spider-Man,’ Connor Storrie — And the Chance to Make Oscar History With ‘Sinners’

The front-runner for the first-ever casting Oscar has worked with more legendary filmmakers than you can count on both hands. Ask them and they'll tell you: There’s a reason why. Francine Maisler Bryan Derballa/Getty Images for IMDb Home Movies Movie Features Francine Maisler’s Wild Casting Ride: Chalamet, Erivo, ‘Spider-Man,’ Connor Storrie — And the Chance to Make Oscar History With ‘Sinners’ The front-runner for the first-ever casting Oscar has worked with more legendary filmmakers than you can count on both hands. Ask them and they'll tell you: There’s a reason why. By David Canfield Plus Icon David Canfield Senior Entertainment Writer More Stories by David Tig Notaro, Oscar Nominee, Is Finally Taking Herself “More Seriously” ‘Frankenstein’ Production Designer and Cinematographer on Why Creating Victor’s Lab Was One Of The Biggest Challenges of Their Careers The Real Reason the Oscars Went So Global View All February 17, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment A few months ago, Francine Maisler told me a story about securing Wunmi Mosaku for a key role in The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s buzzy sequel to the Oscar-winning The Social Network. She’d recently cast Mosaku in Sinners, which had just been released to enormous success. “I worship the woman, and I said, ‘Aaron, I have the idea — she’s in Sinners, have you seen Sinners?’” Maisler recalled. Sorkin told her he was about to screen it; she instructed him to watch it that night. She texted him at 11 p.m. asking if he’d done so; he had. The next day, Maisler again told Sorkin, “We need to hire Wunmi for this role,” to which he replied, “Francine, do you think I could just meet her or something?” Related Stories Movies 'Sinners' Star Wunmi Mosaku Says It Feels "Dystopian" to Celebrate Oscar Nomination After Recent ICE Killings Movies Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards: 'One Battle After Another,' 'Sinners' Top Film Winners She sighed. “If you must.” Sorkin, Maisler and Mosaku then had lunch at the San Vicente Bungalows in Los Angeles, and Sorkin offered her the part by meal’s end. When I pass along Maisler’s recounting to Sorkin, the Oscar-winning filmmaker cracks up. “I wouldn’t want to give you the impression that I was in any way reluctant to cast Wunmi — I was thrilled to get her because Francine made sure that I did,” he says. “But if I had any concerns about Wunmi, there was going to be trouble — I promise you that.” Stories like this abound in Hollywood among the town’s most decorated directors, many of whom work with Maisler regularly: Denis Villeneuve, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Greta Gerwig, Barry Jenkins, Michael Mann, Adam McKay, James L. Brooks, Steve McQueen and, of course, Ryan Coogler — whose Sinners is the most-Oscar-nominated movie of all time, and has put Maisler in pole position to win the inaugural Academy Award for achievement in casting. The field is stacked with greats of the industry, though, including Hamnet’s Nina Gold, Marty Supreme’s Jennifer Venditti and One Battle After Another’s Cassandra Kulukundis. (The final nominee, The Secret Agent’s Gabriel Domingues, hails from Brazil.) Maisler (at mic) accepting the Critics Choice award for Best Casting and Ensemble for ‘Sinners’ with (from left) Delroy Lindo, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association It may seem simple enough to credit Maisler’s front-running status to her remarkable resume, given the long-awaited nature of this prize for her entire field. (The Hollywood Reporter named her 2021’s Casting Director of the Year.) But Sinners’ sprawling ensemble is stuffed with Maisler signatures: a true discovery emerging out of a massive open casting call (Miles Caton), long-great character actors at last getting their due (Mosaku and Delroy Lindo, both earning their first Oscar noms for their performances). These are the areas where, as Jenkins told me years ago, “Francine works her magic.” When I first met Maisler in 2021, she told me right off the bat she didn’t like doing interviews. She’d done some press for Emmys recognition — she’s been nominated six times and is a two-time winner, for Succession and The Studio — but could keep it to a minimum since, until now, there was no equivalent recognition for her film work. As she’s learned these past few months, there’s nothing quite like an Oscar campaign. Especially when it’s impossible to tune out the noise indicating you might just win the whole thing. “Now I understand what actors go through — I understand what Demi Moore and Angela Bassett went through because of what you put into