Mary Selway is one of the UK's leading casting directors. Starting with If it's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium in 1969, Mary went on to cast features for Spielberg (Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom, Raiders of the Lost Ark), Ridley Scott (Alien), James Cameron (Aliens), George Lucas (Return of the Jedi), Michael Apted (Gorillas in the Mist) and Roman Polanski (Tess), alongside prolific films such as Superman, Flash Gorden, Juggernaut, Notting Hill, Lost in Space, Withnail and I, Death and the Maiden, Emma, Onegin and Out of Africa.

We spoke with her about the role of the casting director, actor negotiations, the pressure to get 'names and predominance of women in casting. She gave candid, fascinating responses, while we were made to feel very welcome and were thoroughly entertained to boot.