Kris Jenner (left) and Kim Kardashian at the QVC Buzz on the Red Carpet cocktail party at the Four Seasons Los Angeles on Feb. 23.
A version of this story originally appeared in the Rambling Reporter column of the June 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter.
Doron Ofir, the now-legendary casting magician behind Zeitgeist-tapping reality shows like Jersey Shore and Showbiz Moms & Dads, is on the hunt for the next Kris Jenner or Dina Lohan for his in-development Momagers. “It’s about the business behind the stage moms,” he tells THR.
“The showcases, the pilot season, the sacrifices; it’s a full-time job.” He says he’s zeroing in only on the ultra-competitive mothers of clearly talented kids — not wannabes — in the hope that he’ll be able to follow what will in retrospect be serious behind-the-scenes success stories, to “go back into the life of a Lea Michele or a Justin Bieber.”
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His casting criteria is for the mother to be representing and making managerial decisions for her child, perhaps in conjunction with an agency or managing firm. The son or daughter might be trying to break into modeling, acting, singing, musical theatre, dance, athletics or some combination thereof. “In a perfect world she has maybe more than one child [attempting to enter the business], or has more than one client aside from her child,” he says.
Ofir, who is also now casting programs with titles like Living Latina Loca and Pregzillas, is working on the project with 495 Productions, veteran producer SallyAnn Salsano‘s company. They are targeting a major cable network for Momagers.
He adds, of the curtain-pulling exercise, “How does someone get a role on a Big Time Rush or a Pretty Little Liars? There is so much drama that exists in the background. You are swimming with sharks!”
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