Limited Series

SO LONG MARIANNE - All Episodic Roles

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Details

Episode:

Eight 1-hr Episodes.

Union:

Union or Non union

Area of media:

Limited Series

Network:

Bell Media (Canada)

Paid?:

Yes

Rates:

ACTRA plus 100% Advance.

Deadline:

May 12, 2023

Auditions:

Via self tape at this time.

Shooting starts:

July 20, 2023 Montreal shoot. All dates are tentative.

Shooting finishes:

Sept 5, 2023 Montreal shoot. All dates are tentative.

Shooting locations:

CANADA - In & around Montreal and surrounding areas.

Cities for response:

Montréal, Ottawa

Comments

SO LONG MARIANNE is an upcoming dramatic TV miniseries being co-produced between Norway's Redpoint Productions, Buccaneer Media, Connect3 Media & Tanweer Productions. Titled after the song, which appeared on Leonard Cohen's iconic album “Songs of Leonard Cohen”, the eight-part series will reimagine the relationship between Ihlen and Cohen, which has been billed as an “intimate” drama about “two equally lonely people falling in love in a period of their life when they are still trying to figure out who they are”. Written by Øystein Karlsen & Jo Nesbø - Øystein Karlsen is the writer/director behind the Norwegian hit series DAG, the movie Fuck Up and the Netflix Original Lilyhammer 3. Jo Nesbø is a world-renowned crime writer recognized for broadening the scope of modern crime and thriller fiction. His books have garnered countless international awards, sold over forty million copies, and been translated into fifty languages.

https://variety.com/2023/film/global/leonard-cohen-alex-wolff-tv-marianne-ihlen-1235580865/

https://deadline.com/2022/04/leonard-cohen-marianne-ihlen-new-drama-series-marcella-producer-buccaneer-nrk-1234993192/

https://cineflix.com/news/leonard-cohen-and-muse-marianne-ihlen-subject-of-new-drama-series-from-marcella-outfit-lilyhammer-scribe-canadas-connect3-norways-nrk/

SO LONG MARIANNE is a tripartite international co-pro that has a few weeks shooting in Montreal (the project is also filming in Norway & Greece - Hydra & Athens). The primary casting is being done by Priscilla John and Orla Maxwell out of the UK, and we will be casting select guest roles, and the episodic cast that appears in the scenes being filmed during the Montreal portion of the shoot.

Storyline

Set in the 1960s, LEONARD COHEN's relationship with muse Marianne Ihlen is going under the microscope in SO LONG MARIANNE; a human and intimate, lung-busting, gut-wrenching, heart-breaking love story...that was real. Though it's a story looking back at extraordinary lives, it's more than that - much more; it's a story of youth, searching and finding meaning in life, a story of expression, the sacrifices life forces you to make, and purity of love and of voice.

Roles

Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Recurring Principal	JOHN HAMMOND	Male 50 - 59 Years old
Description APPROVED (107 & 108) To play the role of a man in his 50s. WHITE. Sharp suit, white hair. He looks like he comes from old money, and he does. John is an acclaimed record producer and one of the most influential figures in 20th-century popular music. He worked as a producer and talent scout for Columbia Records and was responsible for launching the careers of musical legends such as Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, and the subject of our story, Leonard Cohen. Hammond is skilled at what he does, focused, passionate about music and artistry – he has a talent for spotting talent. John produces hits, and he’s confident that Leonard has what it takes to become a star; his boss thinks he’s crazy for signing a ’32 year old poet’, but he knows there’s something special about Cohen. Under his guidance, Leonard releases his first record and begins his ascent to become the beloved icon we know today. JOHN HAMMOND REFERENCE LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Greece and Canada PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Recurring Principal	STANLEY BARD	Male 37 - 43 Years old
Description APPROVED (107 & 108) Late 30’s / Early 40’s, Jewish, New Yorker. Must be able to do a strong New York / New Jersey / Staten Island Accent. Stanley Bard is a legendary real life character, who owned the Chelsea Hotel. He made and broke careers by deciding who could live there and how much they needed to pay. He would often taking paintings in lieu of rent and people either loved or hated him, but mostly loved. He is a true New Yorker and a real character. When Cohen arrives in New York Stanley is the first person he meets, he takes a shine to Cohen and puts him down to stay indefinitely. STANLEY BARD REFERENCE (Stanley Bard speaking at 2:30 min. and at 3:40. And best at 5:50 minutes. @ 9:40 he refers to Leonard Cohen.) LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a strong New York / New Jersey / Staten Island Accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Large Principal	JOHN STARR COOKE	Male 40 - 49 Years old
Description APPROVED (107) To play the role of a man in his 40’s, American. John Starr Cooke was an American life guru and spiritual teacher. He was most popular with writers and intellectuals. In this series Marianne and Axel Jr go to stay on his compound in Phoros. He is affable, bald, with a neat beard and wild eyes. The compound is a slice of paradise, people swimming naked, everyone high on marijuana and other drugs. As part of the journey of enlightenment John gives Marianne Mescaline, but Marianne has a bad trip and does not feel anything but emptiness. She leaves the compound abruptly, much to John’s disappointment. Role will need to learn some words in Greek. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	DEREK MAY	Male 30 - 39 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a man in his 30’s. WHITE. One of Leonard's artist friends, Derek is a famous NFB filmmaker and painter, and according to Leonard “the most irreverent person [he] knows”. A fellow Montrealer, Derek gets drunk at Leonard’s welcome home party. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard Anglo-Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	ROBERT HERSHORN	Male 30 - 39 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a man in his 30’s. WHITE. A life-long friend of Cohen, Robert was an actor and film producer, who also made a lot of money in the clothing business. He gives a drunken speech at Leonard’s welcome home party. Loud, extroverted. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard Anglo-Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	OLD DRUNKARD (NYC CAFE)	Male 50 - 79 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 108) To play the role of a man in his 50s - 70s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. An old drunkard telling his life story to anyone who’ll listen. Used to be a sailor, now he waxes poetic at his local watering hole. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American or light New York accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	DRUG DEALER (UNION SQ)	Male 20 - 35 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 108) To play the role of a man in his 20s - 30s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. A drug dealer working the streets of New York City at night. He’s a hippie and clearly a user himself. Friendly and eccentric - he’s seen walking his pet turtle on a leash. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	ARTHUR MILLER	Male 50 - 52 Years old
Description APPROVED (107) To play the role of a man in his early 50's, tall, glasses. Arthur is a long term resident of The Chelsea hotel and simply wants Stanley Bard to vacuum the floor of his room. This scene was overheard from a genuine argument between Arthur Miller and Stanley Bard. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	LOU REED	Male 24 - 27 Years old
Description APPROVED (107) To play the role of a man in his mid 20’s. A small man with long, curly hair. He radiates energy, confidence, New York toughness. At this point an unknown musician who invites Leonard to sit at the ‘in crowd’ table at the Lounge along with Warhol & Nico. LOU REED REFERENCE LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	NICO	Female 27 - 29 Years old
Description APPROVED (107) Nico was a German singer, songwriter, actress and model; ideally blonde or brunette to match the real performer. In this series we meet Nico at a club in 1966 where she is with Lou Reed & Andy Warhol amongst other recognizable faces (she was 28 yrs old). She is beautiful, but curt and disinterested in Cohen. Like an ice queen. Leonard is besotted with her and can’t get her out of his head. NICO REFERENCE 1 NICO REFERENCE 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak ONLY in French. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	RAYMOND	Male 30 - 39 Years old
Description APPROVED (107) To play the role of a man in his 30’s, British, PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. Raymond is a guest at John Starr Cooke’s retreat in Phoros, Greece, he’s been there a while. The compound is a slice of paradise where intellectuals and writers go for spiritual guidance and enlightenment. Raymond enjoys his marijuana and makes some interesting observations to Marianne on life. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a British accent. Shoots in Greece Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	DAVID CROSBY	Male 27 - 29 Years old
Description APPROVED (108) To play the role of a man in his late 20’s, American. Crosby was already an icon at this point, clad in royal leather fringe at Monterey and one of the three or four flamboyant figures that epitomized the impossibly hip L.A. rock scene at the time. Cohen decides to try a new music Producer for his second album and takes his songs to David Crosby. Whilst singing ‘Bird on a Wire’ Cohen realizes Crosby is distracted, he’s more interested in smoking marijuana and staring at the studio assistant. Crosby suggests that Leonard just recites his lyrics with instruments and melody behind. Cohen walks out on the session. DAVID CROSBY REFERENCE LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Principal	AVIVA LAYTON	Female 28 - 39 Years old
Description To play the role of a woman in her late 20s - 30s. WHITE. One of Irving Layton’s many companions, Aviva is an enigmatic woman, a muse, and a writer – though she never did see the same success as her famous lover. After immigrating to Montreal from her native Australia in 1955, Aviva is introduced to Irving and the two begin a decades-long affair, despite the fact that Irving will remain legally married to his wife. Aviva is bright and perceptive, never one to turn away from life’s harsh truths. She’s a believer of free love, or perhaps she simply accepts the fleeting nature of man’s affections. She becomes acquainted with Marianne during a party at Leonard’s apartment in Montreal. The two share a frank conversation about the men in their lives. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with an Australian accent.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Recurring Actor	LEONARD'S GRANDFATHER	Male 80 - 90 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 101, 102 & 105) To play the role of a man in his 80s - 90s. WHITE. He is a Rabbi and well-known Jewish scholar who emigrated from Lithuania to Montreal in 1927. A distinguished man, respected in his community, and a writer just like his grandson Leonard. Flash to today – in his old age he has developed dementia, and in this late-stage he requires daily assistance from his daughter Masha. He is vacant, silently staring ahead. The lights are on, but there’s no one home – not anymore. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: Because this role does not have any spoken lines of dialogue, the Performers submitted for this role can have any accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Recurring Actor	PETE SEEGER	Male 47 - 49 Years old
Description APPROVED (107 & 108) To play the role of a man in his late 40’s, American. Receding hair line. A famous American folk singer known for ’Turn Turn Turn’ and many more hits. Incredibly talented guitarist and banjo player. Pete is singing at the benefit and offers Leonard Cohen some advice backstage. PETE SEEGER REFERNCE LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with an American Accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	MONTREAL FAN GIRL	Female 18 - 25 Years old
Description REVISED (EP 101) To play the role of a woman 18 - 25. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. A young fan of Leonard’s who attends one of his poetry readings in his early days. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard Anglo or French-Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	MAN IN SUIT - EDITOR OF THE MONTREAL GAZETTE	Male 40 - 59 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a man in his 40s - 50s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. An acquaintance of Irving Layton’s who works at the Montreal Gazette. Offers Leonard a freelancing gig after reading his work. He is a somewhat intimidating boss, who represents "a real job." He is very conservative in both dress and barber'd hair. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard Anglo-Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	MORTON ROSENGARTEN	Male 27 - 36 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a man in his late 20s - mid 30s. WHITE. Wiry, dark-haired. A sculptor, gentleman, and life-long best friend of Leonard, Morton was a well-regarded Montreal artist who inspired many with his work. Seemingly modest and unassuming, deep-down he believes in the transformative power of his craft. Charming with a bright presence. We meet Morton at a party in Leonard’s apartment. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	FRENCH WOMAN (L'S PARTY)	Female 20 - 49 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a woman in her 20s - 40s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. An attractive French woman attending one of Leonard Cohen’s house parties. Helps Marianne find a corkscrew in the kitchen. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a French-Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	KITTY	Male 20 - 32 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a woman in her 20s - early 30s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. A moody woman at Leonard’s party who clearly knows Leonard and wants his attention. Has an unrequited crush on Leonard – and everyone can tell. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard Anglo-Canadian accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	SHOP MANAGER	Male 30 - 49 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 105) To play the role of a man in his 30s - 40s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. A shop manager of a fashionable clothing store. He is a bit flamboyant, sharply dressed in high fashion of the Sixties. Judgemental and unenthusiastic as he receives Marianne's application for employment. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character must be able to speak English WITH or WITHOUT a QUÉBÉCOIS accent. Please ensure performers use their NATURAL accent - please do not ADD an accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	AUDITORIUM INTRODUCER	All 40 - 69 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 107) To play the role of a man or a woman in their 40s - 60s. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. A university professor type, introducing Leonard to a university auditorium full of people. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character must be able to speak English WITH or WITHOUT a QUÉBÉCOIS accent. Please ensure performers use their NATURAL accent - please do not ADD an accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	FEMALE STUDENT ADMIRER	Female 18 - 21 Years old
Description REVISED (Ep 107) To play the role of an 18 - 21 year old woman. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. An adoring fan of Leonard’s who approaches him for an autograph. Giddy and star-struck with love in her eyes. LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character must be able to speak English WITH a QUÉBÉCOIS accent. Please ensure performers use their NATURAL accent - please do not ADD an accent. Shoots in Montreal Only.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Actor	ANDY WARHOL	Male 37 - 39 Years old
Description APPROVED (107) To play the role of a man in his late 30’s. Enigmatic, fragile figure. When Cohen is introduced to the ‘in’ crowd table at the bar, Warhol discards him, but Cohen quickly wins him over. ANDY WARHOL REFERENCE LANGUAGE / ACCENT: The Character will speak English with a standard American accent. Shoots in Greece Only. PHOTO REFERENCE:
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Non Speaking	ARMAND VAILLANCOURT	Male 30 - 39 Years old
Description To play the role of a man in his 30s. WHITE. Noted Quebecois sculptor and a friend of Cohen’s. We see Armand at Leonard’s party with his iconic dark, long hair and full beard. He is standing with a young Suzanne Verdal, fifteen years her senior. Tentatively in 1/8 Episodes (Currently Episode 5). LANGUAGE / ACCENT: Because this role does not have any spoken lines of dialogue, the Performers submitted for this role can have any accent.
Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Non Speaking	SUZANNE VERDAL	Female 17 - 19 Years old
Description To play the role of a girl aged 17 - 19. WHITE. A beautiful young dancer who we’ll come to know as the famous “Suzanne” of Leonard Cohen’s hit record. We see her arm-in-arm with a man fifteen years her senior (Armand Vaillancourt) at one of Leonard’s parties. Striking, dark features with big doe eyes. Tentatively in 1/8 Episodes (Currently Episode 5). LANGUAGE / ACCENT: Because this role does not have any spoken lines of dialogue, the Performers submitted for this role can have any accent.

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