Mali Finn

Mali Finn (March 8, 1938 - November 28, 2007), born Mary Alice Mann, also known as Mally Finn, was an American Hollywood casting director and a former English and drama teacher. She started the careers of numerous celebrities, including Edward Furlong, Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.

Biography

Born as Mary Alice Mann on March 8, 1938, in Danville, Illinois, she later moved to Minneapolis. She received a bachelor's degree in theater from the University of Minnesota. She was married to Don Finn (also a Casting Director) and had one child with him.

Career

In the early 80s, Mali was a beloved drama teacher at Holland (MI) High School, where she challenged her students with difficult productions such as You Can't Take It With You, while her husband Donn lectured at Hope College. In 1981, Mali and Donn moved to Newport Beach, California in 1981 and her casting career began. She had handful of casting credits behind her, including The Untouchables (1987) when she established her firm, Mali Finn Casting in 1989. Additional casting credits include The Matrix (1999) and Titanic (1997). She kick-started Leonardo DiCaprio's career by casting him in the James Cameron movie Titanic and she also cast Russell Crowe in his role in L.A. Confidential. She also discovered the actor Brad Renfro when he was ten years old.

She cast almost 90 movies and television series. Director Curtis Hanson worked with Finn on four of his films - L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys, 8 Mile, and Lucky You. She featured prominently in the episode "Fame" of The Human Face presented by John Cleese.

She has been given numerous awards for her casting. She has won 2 Artios Awards for Best Casting for television film of the Week, for 61 (2001) and for Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama for L.A. Confidential (1997) and she has been nominated for 3 Artios awards for Titanic (1997). She has also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special for 61 (2001) and was nominated for another Emmy in 1995 for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Casting for Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995).

Death

She retired in 2006 due to melanoma, which claimed her life at the age of 69 on November 28, 2007 at her home in Sonoma County, California.^[1][2]

Selected casting director credits

• Avatar (2009)
• 10,000 B.C (2008)
• Dirty Hands (2008)
• Lucky You (2007)
• The Number 23 (2007)
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
• Shooter (2007)
• Running with Scissors (2006)
• Seraphim Falls (2006)
• Walker Payne (2006)
• North Country (2005)
• Dark Water (2005)
• The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
• Undertow (2004)
• Raising Helen (2004)
• The Girl Next Door (2004)
• The Big Bounce (2004)
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• All the Real Girls (2003)
• Phone Booth (2002)
• 8 Mile (2002)
• Never Get Outta the Boat (2002)
• K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
• High Crimes (2002)
• Joy Ride (2001/I)
• 61* (2001) (TV)
• Tigerland (2000)
• The Weight of Water (2000)
• Running Mates (2000) (TV)
• Reindeer Games (2000)
• The Green Mile (1999)
• The Love Letter (1999)
• Best Laid Plans (1999)
• The Matrix (1999)
• 8MM (1999)
• Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)
• Titanic (1997)
• Batman & Robin (1997)
• L.A. Confidential (1997)
• Sunday (1997)
• The Chamber (1996)
• Foxfire (1996)
• A Time to Kill (1996)
• Eye for an Eye (1996)
• Batman Forever (1995)
• The Client (1994)
• True Lies (1994)
• The Air Up There (1994)
• House of Cards (1993)
• That Night (1992)
• Hot Shots! (1991)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)
• Pacific Heights (1990)
• Flatliners (1990)
• Split Decisions (1988)
• Lady in White (1988)
• The Untouchables (1987)
• Outrageous Fortune (1987) (as Mally Finn)

References

1. ^ Dennis McLellan (December 9, 2006). "Mali Finn, at 69; casting director". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2007/12/09/mali_finn_at_69_casting_director/. Retrieved 2010-08-26. 
2. ^ "Casting Director Mali Finn dies". Variety. December 3, 2007. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117976924.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2010-08-26. "Mali Finn, casting director for films including "Titanic," "L.A. Confidential" and "The Matrix," died of melanoma Wednesday in Sonoma, Calif. She was 69." 

External links

• Mali Finn at the Internet Movie Database
• Bio on Gus Van Sant's Elephant
• MethodFest honors Mali Finn
• Casting director Mali Finn dies
• Los Angeles Times: Casting director brought a deft touch to 'Titanic,' 'L.A. Confidential'
• Obituary in Boston Globe

Persondata
Name	Finn, Mali
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 8, 1938
Place of birth
Date of death	November 28, 2007
Place of death