Scottsdale’s Bella Hibbs, casting director and owner of Good Faith Casting, created the Southwest Actors Conference & Expo, taking place Sept. 23 and Sept. 24 and offering professional actors access to knowledge and training provided by top industry talent, agents and casting directors. Learn about Bella Hibbs…
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
First job: I was a fitting room attendant at Target.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: I’m a huge foodie so I love checking out new restaurants on the weekend.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: My biggest accomplishment so far has been getting to do local casting on the new HBO show “Duster,” which is being produced by JJ Abrams and LaToya Morgan. JJ Abrams was one of the creators of the hit show “Lost,” which was my absolute favorite TV show growing up so getting to work with JJ Abrams was truly a dream.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Like many other small business owners, COVID hit our industry hard. The first year was rough but we took swift action to pivot to virtual auditions.
Someone who inspires you and why: Other entrepreneur inspire me. It takes a lot to find your purpose and combine it with your passion. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. I love seeing people push past fears and doubts to go after what they want.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: The most common path to becoming a casting director is to start working as an intern or assistant in a casting office. A few good skills to have would be creativity, good communication skills and being organized. Start networking with people in the film/entertainment industry, and you never know when that connection will come in handy.
Favorite quote: “Everything you want is on the other side of consistency.”
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: Outside of being a casting director, I have a fitness and fashion blog that I do on the side as my creative outlet. I love all things fashion, fitness and travel.
What makes someone fabulous: Those who add value to people’s lives every day.