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

Like characters from central casting, they were the only people wearing suits, and neither had cash.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

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