By MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Behind the Wizard of Oz in the two-part “Wicked” movies were people actually pulling the strings. They set the table for the hit double-punch movies long before the cameras ever rolled out: The casting directors, helped pick who made it to Oz.

“Our job is to know the actors that are out there or know how to find the actors that we don’t know,” says Bernard Telsey, one of the heavy hitters in the world of casting, who, with Tiffany Little Canfield, populated both “Wicked” movies.

Casting will get some Oscar love next year. A new prize for achievement in casting was added to the Academy Awards in March, a step casting directors believe is long overdue. The 98th Academy Awards will air live on ABC on March 15, 2026.

“It’s really hard for p

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