central casting

American  

noun

Movies.

1. an agency, studio department, etc., responsible for hiring actors, especially bit players or extras.

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Etymology

Origin of central casting

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Rocha said that as a spokesperson for American Indians, Stevens was straight out of central casting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

He is, after all, a person who commonly hires people because they are "out of central casting."

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2025

If you’ve ever wondered why everyone on your social feeds now looks like they also have stepped directly out of central casting or off a billboard, there’s much more at play than judicial filtering.

From Slate • Sep. 21, 2024

Those visiting Mr. Kemp in the field would find an archaeologist out of central casting: tall and sturdy, with a big bushy beard and a perpetual deep tan.

From New York Times • May 29, 2024

Zero combined the shows into a central casting office, and every Saturday night put on a super colossal by the Cabanatuan Mighty Art Players.

From Blood Brothers A Medic's Sketch Book by Rohlfing, Sam