Allison Jones (casting director)

American casting director

Allison Jones (born 1955) is an American casting director who is credited for helping bring together realistic ensemble casts for popular television shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990–1996), Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–), Undeclared (2001–2002), Arrested Development (2003–2006), the American version of The Office (2005–2013), United States of Tara (2009–2011), Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), Veep (2012–2019), Brooklyn Nine Nine (2013–2021), The Good Place (2016–2020), and What We Do in the Shadows (2019–).

Jones grew up in Needham, Massachusetts. She was the second youngest child in a family with six children. Jones graduated from Pomona College in 1977, with a degree in visual arts. During her time at Pomona, she cultivated an appreciation for what she called "pure geek existence" as her friends introduced her to Monty Python, The Firesign Theatre, and Saturday Night Live.

Jones has worked as a casting director in the entertainment business since 1982, with her first credited work for the television show being Family Ties and later in 1985, The Golden Girls. In 2015, her work as a casting director included the comedy film Get Hard; the Yahoo! Screen show Other Space, and the Netflix series Master of None. Jones has cast popular television shows including Freaks and Geeks (for which she won an Emmy), Undeclared, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Veep, What We Do in the Shadows, Our Flag Means Death, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine Nine, The Good Place, Curb Your Enthusiasm, United States of Tara, Arrested Development (both of which she was also nominated for), and the US version of The Office. She has also cast a number of successful films, including The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005), Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006). Knocked Up (2007); The Dictator (2012), and Booksmart (2019). Jones also received casting credit for Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Hot Rod, Superbad (both 2007), Step Brothers (2008), Brüno (2009), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Bridesmaids, Fright Night (both 2011), Ghostbusters (2016), Lady Bird (2017), and Eighth Grade (2018). In 2023, Jones and Lucy Bevan cast Barbie.

Award Year Work Category Result Ref. (Reference(s)) Astra Film and Creative Awards 2024 Barbie Best Casting Director Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2024 Barbie Best Ensemble Cast – Casting Director Primetime Emmy Awards 2000 Freaks and GeeksOutstanding Casting for a Comedy Series 2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm 2004 Arrested Development 2006Curb Your Enthusiasm 2008 2009United States of Tara The Office 2012Veep 2013 2014 2015 2016 2020Curb Your Enthusiasm 2022