How Lilia Trapani Cast The Count of Monte Cristo (and What It Says About Today’s Global Casting Scene)

Casting isn’t some mysterious black box. If there’s someone who proves that, it’s Lilia Hartmann Trapani,the casting director at Studio-T who’s literally lived and breathed this craft her whole life. Her recent interview with Casting Networks gives us a peek behind the scenes of The Count of monte cristoThe Count of Monte Cristo, the big international series now out on streaming platforms.

In the interview, Lilia talks about Montecristo as a project that blends world cinema with global audiences — and how that shapes casting. The series was shot in English even though much of the work was done in Italy and France, so one of the main challenges was finding local actors who could perform confidently in English. That’s not just a technical requirement. For Lilia it’s become a professional must for actors hoping to work beyond their borders.

She also digs into the tools of the trade. Self-tapes make it possible to see actors from all over the world, which sounds great until you realize there’s nothing quite like an audition in person to discover nuance and spark. Even with all the tech, the human connection still matters.

And because Lilia cares about building a smarter, more collaborative industry, she’s writing a book called Being a Casting DirectorIt’s meant to explain what casting really is — far beyond picking names off a list — and to give actors and creatives practical guidance on audition prep, self-taping, and how to work with casting pros.

At Studio-T we’ve always believed casting is about storytelling and ensemble harmony, not just filling slots. This interview reinforces that vision, showing how today’s interconnected film world both challenges and elevates the craft.

Read the interview by | Neil Turitz on Casting Networks:

Lilia Trapani on Casting ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ and Why Actors Benefit From Mastering English