TV Talk: Netflix’s ‘Rustin’ seeks 2,000 extras during filming in Pittsburgh

When the Netflix bio-pic “Rustin,” about the late civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, comes to film in Pittsburgh beginning Sept. 27, casting director Rose Locke has a big task on her hands: Hiring 370 extras for the film’s re-creation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 March on Washington, a portion of the 2,000 extras she’ll need for the duration of the film’s shoot through mid-December.

Produced for Netflix by Higher Ground, former U.S. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, and directed by George C. Wolfe (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), the film has no announced lead actor cast. There’s also no word if either of the Obamas will come to town to observe the production.

While “Rustin” will shoot for four days in Washington, the rest of the film will be produced in Western Pennsylvania, including recreations of a portion of the march, currently set to film on Oct. 11 at an undisclosed location.

“Being a period piece, it’s like a human jigsaw puzzle,” Locke said. “Right face, right hair, right availability, right look and now add in covid and everybody has got to be pre-fitted before your work day.”

Locke, who came to Pittsburgh from her home base of Atlanta where she’s done extras casting for “The Hunger Games” movies, HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” and the next “Spider-Man” movie, takes over extras casting from Pittsburgh’s Mosser Casting. Those who attended Mosser’s casting call Aug. 21 have already had their information transferred to Locke and will hear from her shortly if they are selected.

Locke seeks men and women ages 18 and older, African-American and Caucasian, to portray civil rights activists in scenes set in the 1950s and 1960s.

Because of the period setting, Locke seeks background actors with the ability to have 1960s-era hair and no visible tattoos — neck and face tattoos are out, arm and leg tattoos may be workable. The March on Washington took place in August, so most extras will need to be in short sleeve shirts but those with arm tattoos may be considered for scenes that take place in other seasons where costumes can cover the tattoos.

Locke said casting as many extras as she needs for “Rustin” is a daunting task, particularly because of the need for hair, hair coloring, eyelashes and eyebrows that are accurate to the time period the film is set in.

While the hair and makeup department can make some adjustments, in a scene featuring 370 extras there’s not enough time or money for much additional work that needs to be done to make extras period-appropriate.

“It takes time to sit in the (makeup or hairstyling) chair so we try our best to avoid it,” Locke said. “With men, back in the ’60s they didn’t shave their heads, something that’s done a lot now. We can hide that with a hat but we hope men (considering work as an extra in ‘Rustin’) would start to grow out their hair if possible.”

Anyone who wishes to be considered should send their name, age, height, weight, phone number and three photos of themselves to rustin-pittsburgh@RoseLockeCasting.com with “Civil Rights” in the email’s subject line.

Locke will also have a booth at the Pittsburgh Soul Food Fest, Thursday-Sunday in Market Square, recruiting extras who will be paid $168 per day for 12 hours’ work and overtime if filming runs more than 12 hours. Extras will also be paid $84 for their time to take a drive-through covid test before their shoot day and $84 for a two-hour costume-fitting session. Details at facebook.com/RustinExtrasPGH.

KDKA’s ‘Fan N’ation’ returns

KDKA-TV’s “Fan N’ation” returns for its second season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday with a rerun later that night at 11 p.m. on WPCW-TV. (Channel 19 will rebroadcast “Super Bowl XLIII at 8 p.m. Saturday.)

“Fan N’ation,” hosted by Rich Walsh and Daisy Jade, continues to celebrate Pittsburgh sports fans and regional sports culture.

The season two premiere includes features on a local artist who created a portrait of Santonio Holmes, the human Terrible Towel and a local singer. Holmes also appears in the broadcast to discuss his role in the Steeler’s sixth Super Bowl win.

Kept/spun-off

Netflix renewed “Cobra Kai” for a fifth season ahead of its fourth-season premiere in December.

AMC renewed “Kevin Can F*** Himself” for a second season.

Starz renewed “Run the World” for season two.

Netflix picked up “Manifest,” after NBC canceled it, for a fourth and final season.

The CW ordered “Tom Swift,” a “Nancy Drew” spin-off, to series for the 2021-22 TV season.

Channel surfing

“Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem,” a limited series starring Lisa Rinna, Deidre Hall, Jackee Harry, Thaao Penghlis and Charles Shaughnessy, will debut new episodes daily for 10 consecutive weekdays beginning Monday with free access on Peacock. … The fourth season premiere of ABC’s “The Conners” will air live at 9 p.m. Sept. 22. … A filmed version of the Broadway musical “Come From Away,” about 7,000 people stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, after all flights into the U.S. were grounded on Sept. 11, 2001, debuts Sept. 10 on Apple TV+. … “The Problem with Jon Stewart” premieres Sept. 30 on Apple TV+ followed by a new episode every other week. … MeTV (Channel 11.2 over the air) celebrates the life of the late Ed Asner with four “Mary Tyler Moore Show” episodes beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday while Decades TV (Channel 61.6 over the air) remembers Asner with “The Dick Cavett Show” (9 p.m. Friday) and 84 episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” beginning at 12 p.m. Saturday and continuing until 6 a.m. Monday.