“I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had Orla O’Connor as my Casting Director on my Directorial debut. Orla possesses great clarity of purpose. She introduced me to an exciting group of young actors, whose degree of professionalism was way beyond praise.”

Actor & Director

“Orla is the best Casting Director, bar none. Insightful, totally committed, always finding new talent. Orla understands the needs of each project and she properly cares. Also, she’s really f**king funny.”

Exec Producer, Happy Tramp

“Thanks to Orla, we were gifted an incredibly talented cast from top to bottom on Payback. Orla was thorough, inspiring and an absolute joy to work with.”

Creative Director, HTM Television

"I remember watching a casting tape of Orla stuck in a small room at the Oban MOD with several young terrified accordion players, willing them to read the scene brilliantly, hurling the lines back at them. It was about 10.30 at night, a few weeks after her contract had expired, and the expenses had run out. But how else do you find your lead?' Orla is brilliant, intelligent and has taste. I trust her."

Director

“Orla did an excellent job for us on The Diplomat, bringing a fresh and diverse mix of recognisable and new talent to the ensemble cast. Calm, thoughtful and collaborative, she managed a limited cast budget with great aplomb and we would certainly work with her again.”

CEO & Creative Director, World Productions

"I am always impressed with Orla's commitment to the job. Nothing seems too much trouble to her. She has a genuine love of the business, treats actors with such skill and understanding and I would recommend her to anyone who cares about attention to detail in all aspects of casting."

Agent

"Orla did a brilliant job on Bob Servant Independent. She has huge levels of energy, knowledge and enthusiasm and was an absolute joy to work with."

Producer

"It was a pleasure to work with Orla. She has a great understanding of actors and what they can do."

Director

"Orla did an amazing job putting together a very real and intricate family in Single Father - the casting of David Tennant’s family was extremely difficult and wonderfully achieved."

Director

I have worked with Orla on a number of projects, including Shetland and Payback, and it has always been a really fruitful experience. Not only is Orla fully committed to the job, large or small, she also has a vast knowledge of the talent pool and an eye for actors you may not have thought of for the part. Orla is always looking to find new and exciting talent and will fight for who she feels is the right choice, be it a household name or someone looking for their first job. We also always have a good laugh along the way.

Producer

"Orla has the duel  - and rather rare -  ability to be both wonderful with actors and great on script. This means she will always make her choices with integrity. She safeguards the writers intention and creates an environment where delightful alchemies occur between actors and director."

Director

“Shetland would not be the success it is without the brilliant casting by Orla O'Connor. Every season she pushes the boundaries not just by the quality of experienced actors she brings to the show, but by introducing incredible new talent. She never settles until she has found “the” actor for the role, offering myself and Directors an exciting and massively fulfilling casting process. Moreover, she is an incredibly lovely person, someone you can lean on and who totally understands the demands of the business.”

Producer

"Whether a household name, or an aspiring graduate, Orla always delivers a detailed, considered evaluation of an actor's skills and relevance to the part you're offering - and she treats each and every actor with consummate honesty, respect and nurturing throughout the casting process.  She champions the acting fraternity in Scotland, and it's especially thanks to her that I've enjoyed working within its enormous scope in recent years.  As a producer, Orla provides me with the constant, quiet reassurance that my directors will be thoughtfully advised, supported and inspired ... in finding just the right actors to express their work. Thorough, energetic, generous and philosophical in her approach; Orla has the precious gift of instinct that great casting relies on. I could not imagine my ideal drama production team without her."

Producer, Writer, Director

"Orla has the most wonderful talent at searching out - the unusual - the daring - the brave choice. Sometimes I wonder if a director would make some of their choices without her. Without her help - without her enthusiasm - without her instinct. She is detailed and caring. She has the greatest patience and she really gets to know her director. She breathes in every aspect of every role. Gets to know it inside out. She listens. Actors love being in a room with her because they know she always get the best out of them. She makes them feel at ease. She furnishes the director with such great choices - and all of them are always relevant. I would never have found my Daisy Gahan without Orla. And she didn't find one - she found several  girls that all had wonderful qualities. Everyone of them were able to give it their best shot because Orla gave them the time and made them feel special."

Director

I’ve worked with Orla for over a decade on projects ranging from High End TV and Children’s TV to feature films.  Throughout our collaborations, she has demonstrated great taste and a sound determination to finding the perfect cast for each production.  Always mindful of the need for authenticity, she has often discovered exciting new talent and is never afraid to make bold suggestions. Orla listens closely to the creative aspirations of everyone involved and does her utmost to bring those visions to life, thoughtfully balancing ambition with practical constraints and negotiating fair deals for both production and cast.  Her professionalism and collaborative spirit, make her an invaluable ally; as a producer, I can be confident that Orla will have my back and provide support when challenges arise.

Producer