About US

 

MA Casting is a creative consultancy with expertise in diverse talent and inclusive storytelling. We specialize in providing talent from Middle Eastern and Muslim backgrounds and we consult on stories from these communities, through script reviews and the development process (including line producing, story boarding, creative direction, site scouting, staffing, and resource acquisition etc).

We have been featured in NPR, NBCNews, Washington Post and many more.

We have provided services to Nickelodeon, Paramount Plus, Maybelline, Google, and Nordstrom, national art museums and countless independent filmmakers and non-profit organizations.

We have been named one of the Top 100 Muslim Start-Ups of 2022 and our Founder was recently named Top 100 POCs in Media by A.N. Publishing. Book a 1-on-1 Creative Consult to learn more.

Our Team

Serena RAsoul

Founder of MA Casting (formerly Muslim Casting).

Serena Rasoul started her training taking classes in the Department of Drama at the University of Virginia. After graduating, she continued her studies at the Theater Lab, School for Dramatic Arts in Washington DC. And has recently completed a Fellowship at Harvard Divinity School, working with artists from underrepresented communities. She is currently consulting the National Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art as a Community Engagement Specialist working with Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim artists and community groups.

She recently founded MA Casting--a casting agency that casts and advocates for Muslim and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA aka SWANA) talent in the TV/Film, Commercial and Art industries. She has been featured on NPR, Variety, the Washington Post, NBCNews, and the Harvard Crimson.

She spearheaded the first study and test on the portrayal of Muslim women on-screen called, “Surviving to Thriving”: Muslim Women’s On-Screen Test with the Geena Davis Institute for Gender in Media.

Serena served on the Advisory Group for the Pillars Fund initiative, Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion: Recommendations for Film Industry Professionals. This initiative was part of the USC Annenberg study on Muslim inclusion in film called Missing and Maligned: The Reality of Muslims in Popular Global Movies.

She also sits on the Board of the non-profit organization called M Film Lab, which works to develop scripts from underrepresented communities into short films. 

She holds a Masters from the George Washington University and two Bachelors degrees from the University of Virginia. She speaks Arabic, Spanish and English.

 

Bisma Misbah

Bisma Misbah is a second-year English student and Casting Assistant for MA Casting. In her free time, she likes to act; her most recent role was playing Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan in Area Stage Company’s production of Mirror of Most Value: A Ms. Marvel Play. She plans to pursue an MFA in screenwriting/directing after graduation.

 

Bree Darby

​​Bree Darby is the Social Media assistant for MA Casting. Bree is passionate about finding representation for Muslim talent. “For so long, we have been overlooked, ridiculed and stereotyped and I want to work hard to make sure that we are given the representation we deserve. That we all have our own unique stories told,” she says.

 

OUR Approach

As a members of the Muslim and SWANA/MENASA communities, we have a level of insight and access to these groups that no other casting company can provide. We understand their motivations, their nuances, their strengths and their beauty.

 

Actors

Muslim and SWANA actors are not a monolith. They are extremely diverse. They are Black, White, Asian, Indigenous, and mixed. They hail all kinds of countries and territories. They speak many languages and have many different traditions and norms. At MA Casting, we understand this and understand the sensitivities this comes with. We know how to approach talent and ensure they are qualified and up to the task.

Other Creatives

Muslim Creatives are not just actors, they are Writers, Producers, Directors, and Content Creators of all varieties. Companies, networks, and studios are waking up to the reality that America is diverse and multifaceted. They are recognizing the need for inclusive story telling and marketing, both above and below the line. Here at MA Casting, we are building our rolodex of creatives. Contact us for more information.