Live from Sunscreen Film Festival: Alison Thornton on Auditions, Authenticity, and the Long Game

This episode of Casting Confidential was recorded live at the Imagine Museum during the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida — and it was a conversation worth being in the room for. Rose Rosen sits down with Canadian-American actress Alison Thornton, known for School Spirits, Nancy Drew, Dare Me, The Mental State, and the festival film What Comes Next, for a candid, grounded conversation about what it actually takes to build a career in this industry and keep loving it along the way. Alison started working professionally at 10 years old, booking her first job within three months of getting an agent, and she hasn't stopped since. In this conversation, she talks about learning on set as a kid, navigating rejection before she had the emotional framework to contextualize it, and the shift from simply taking direction to developing a real artistic point of view. They dig into the self-tape process — the pros, the pitfalls, the diminishing returns of take nine, and why some of Alison's best recent work was recorded at 3am in a temple in Japan. They talk about what casting is actually looking for versus what actors assume casting is looking for, the difference between doing good work and trying to be perfect, and why staying curious as a human being is one of the most underrated tools in a performer's toolkit. The episode also features a live Q&A with the Sunscreen audience, a real-time scene with live feedback, and a genuinely fun, unfiltered exchange between Rose and Alison that captures exactly what makes this show worth listening to. Whether you're early in your career or deep in the middle of it, this one has something for you. SPONSOR: RAFY APP — Use code CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off Rehearse, memorize, and self-tape anytime with Rafy, the app that scans your sides and lets you practice with realistic reader voices. With over 60 voices, a built-in teleprompter, multilingual support, and a script library called Playhouse, Rafy gives actors full control over their process. Episode Sponsors: Sunscreen Film Festival https://sunscreenfilmfestival.com Imagine Museum https://www.imaginemuseum.com Rafy App https://rafy.app GO DEEPER ON PATREON: Join the Casting Confidential community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended conversations, and live Q&As designed specifically for actors navigating the industry. JOIN PATREON HERE For more episodes and resources, visit castingconfidential.com. CREDITS: Host, Creator & Producer Rose Rosen, CSA   / roserosencasting   Guest Alison Thornton   / ali.g.thornton   Editor MZ Studios Camera: Joel Goldberg   / filmmakingiswhatido   Feedback Actor: Meryl Rifkin   / meryl_rifkin_realtor   Original Music Orville Wright   / ohyeahbeats   Artwork Ace Anderson   / aceshothat   Follow the show and join our community on socials:   / castingconfidential     / castingconfidential   Patreon **Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.