Casting Call for "Karate Earl" Short Film

Kind, faithful, and nurturing, but worn down by years of trying to save her son from himself. Ms. Mary carries both unconditional love and deep exhaustion. She represents the hope that refuses to die, even when every reason says it should. Performance Notes: Warm, grounded, emotionally available. Ability to communicate years of history with very little dialogue.

Ms. Mary’s husband. Practical, stern, and fed up with Earl’s self-destruction. Where Ms. Marry leads with compassion, Mr. Henry leads with tough love. He believes Earl has squandered too many chances and refuses to enable him any longer. Performance Notes: Strong presence. Able to balance frustration, disappointment, and underlying concern.

A neighborhood drifter and Earl’s closest friend. Sharp-witted, funny, and deeply human despite his circumstances. Lonnie survives through humor, resilience, and an unspoken understanding of the hardships he shares with Earl. Performance Notes: Strong comedic instincts preferred. Ability to find humor and humanity in difficult situations.

Owner or employee of the neighborhood liquor store. Knows everybody, hears everything, and serves as an observer of the community. Dry sense of humor and a familiarity with Earl that comes from years of seeing him at his best and worst. Performance Notes: Naturalistic, understated performance.

Kai’s hardworking mother. A nursing assistant doing her best to keep her household together. Protective, loving, and often exhausted, she wants more for her son than the neighborhood can offer. Performance Notes: Strong, relatable, grounded. Must feel like a real Philadelphia mother balancing work, parenting, and survival.