Meet Vincent James Arcuri | Casting Director & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vincent James Arcuri and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vincent James, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.” It’s a quote from one of my all-time favorite films, 1958’s Auntie Mame starring the divine Rosalind Russell. Mame was an eccentric, free-spirited woman who lived life to the fullest and raised her nephew to do the same. As soon as I heard that line, it instantly resonated with me. The idea of living a grand, full life, complete with unique adventures, experiences and opportunities has always appealed to me. Life is indeed meant to be lived and enjoyed. I once forced my nieces to watch the film with me when they were young, it was my way of teaching them that same valuable lesson and to encourage them to travel, see the world, experience new adventures, cultures and opportunities. They thought the movie was “really long” but they loved it and still reference it to this day. That makes me very happy and even happier watching them embrace this quote and live such rich, full lives now.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I moved from New York to Los Angeles to become rich and famous. That didn’t quite work out, so now I help make other people rich and famous. For over a decade now, I’ve cast a variety of non-scripted, reality based TV shows – everything from America’s Got Talent and Married At First Sight to Shark Tank and The Jeopardy National College Championship. Most recently, I served as Casting Director for Amazon’s newest game show Buy It Now, where entrepreneurs have a chance to land a coveted spot in the Amazon marketplace and take their business to the next level. I’ve also spent over eight seasons serving as Casting Producer for the Emmy award winning Shark Tank, hand selecting entrepreneurs to pitch their products to our sharks for the chance at securing the ultimate investment and business partner.

When people ask what I do for a living, I usually just say “I get paid to talk to people.” It’s somewhat true. The job of a Casting Director/Casting Producer is to not only have an eye for talent, but to truly get to know others, listen to their story, their journey and then produce that for television. It’s all about connecting with others. Over the years, I’ve met so many incredible people from so many different walks of life and have learned that everyone has a story, everyone has a heart and everyone just wants to be seen and heard. If we just connect with each other one on one as equals, we can all get along and have a lot more fun along the way. Those traits my mother taught me – to be kind, respectful, relatable and empathetic have truly made a difference in my life and my career. And being honest and authentic – that’s hard to find in the entertainment industry, but it’s the best way to truly connect with others and earn their respect in return.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love living in LA. The warm weather, the swaying palm trees and the allure of Hollywood still captivates me after all these years. One of my favorite spots is Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. The former home of the Doheny family is now a public park nestled above Sunset Blvd. – it’s just a great place to escape, roam and relax. If I have friends in town, lunch at Chateau Marmont, an Old Fashion at the Polo Lounge or an Aperol Spritz on the lawn at the Bel Air Hotel provide the ultimate LA experience. Sprinkles cupcakes are also a must and one of the best LA adventures is a tour of the Stahl House – the ultimate mid-century modern home above the Sunset Strip. I love over looking this magical city, so a rooftop with a view, or a hike in Runyon or Griffith Park are great. And I love the Griffith Observatory, not only for it’s gorgeous architecture and great views, but also because Rebel Without A Cause was filmed there. And you can never go wrong with a day at the beach, and evening at the Hollywood Bowl or a baseball game at Dodger Stadium, especially when my NY Mets are in town.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m definitely my mother’s son. She raised me and my three older sisters to be kind, caring, humble, to treat others with respect, remember to always laugh and to never leave the house in unironed clothes. And honestly, those traits have served me well. (And yes, I still iron everything!) I’ve never had a job I was actually qualified for but always learned as I went. Along the way there have been far to many people to mention who helped open doors for me and show me the ropes. No one achieves any level of success on their own – it’s always a team effort. I’m a firm believer that you just need one person to believe in you and that can make all the difference. Thankfully, I’ve been lucky to have several people believe in me and give me a chance and I’m so grateful to them all for helping pave my path.

Website: https://www.vincentjamesarcuri.com/

Instagram: @HLLYWDVIN

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-james-arcuri

Image Credits
All images are mine