Casting Director Turns Job Loss into Insightful Memoir

LOS ANGELES, March 28, 2025 — Hollywood casting director Tess Sanchez has transformed her career setbacks into literary triumph with her debut memoir, “We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction.” Released by Gallery Books, the 256-page collection of essays reflects on her experiences in the entertainment industry and the profound impact of job loss.

For over two decades, Sanchez, known for her work on iconic shows like “Felicity” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” provided gentle rejections to countless actors with the phrase, “We’ve decided to go in a different direction.” In 2020, she faced her own rejection when she lost her job at Fox, an event that inspired her to document her journey through humor, heartache, and resilience.

Sanchez describes the writing process as “very therapeutic,” noting that while the book offers a sense of closure, it also leaves her in a state of reflection about her identity beyond her job. “I did not feel like I was ready to start a new chapter,” she said. “It’s not like I was putting a period at the end of the sentence and saying, ‘I’m fixed!’”

The memoir is not a tell-all about celebrity gossip; instead, Sanchez employs a cinematic lens to present characters, often using actors’ names as stand-ins. She illustrates her past relationships by likening a dead-end boyfriend to Topher Grace, while her friends are depicted as alluring figures like Jessica Biel and Selena Gomez. “Once a casting director, always a casting director,” Sanchez told The Times, explaining her matchmaking tendencies in both her professional and private life.

Her marriage to actor Max Greenfield, known for his roles in “New Girl” and “The Neighborhood,” is a central theme in her memoir, emphasizing a love story that has largely escaped the media’s scrutiny. “Their meeting in a bar and the on-again, off-again romance” is described with warmth and detail, alongside challenges including a break, a rehab stint, and ultimately their marriage.

“The essence of the book is really about my journey of trying to figure out why this particular job was so defining in my life, and who am I without that job?” she explained. This pivotal realization came during a Zoom meeting in which Sanchez was unexpectedly fired, leaving her grappling with feelings of emptiness and betrayal.

Reflecting on this life-altering moment, Sanchez wrote, “It felt like the ultimate betrayal; I believe the term is ‘blindsided.’” She took full responsibility for allowing her identity to be so heavily intertwined with her career, a fact she conveys with deep sincerity throughout her book.

Despite her initial struggles with self-worth post-firing, Sanchez found solace in connecting with readers who resonate with her journey. “Every single meeting with publishers, someone would raise their hand and say, ‘That happened to my friend’ or ‘That happened to my husband,’” she recalled, highlighting the universal nature of job loss, especially during the pandemic.

While contemplating her next steps in the entertainment industry, Sanchez is open to exploring new opportunities. She also hints at a potential second book. “The role of an author isn’t such a leap from that of a casting director,” she remarked. “It’s about conveying a story and recognizing the dynamics between characters.”

As she promotes her memoir, Sanchez reflects on the past’s glamour, admitting that the industry has changed significantly since her rise. “Hollywood had its heyday, and I was a part of that while I was coming up, and there was nothing like it,” she said, acknowledging the challenges the industry now faces.

By sharing her journey through laughter and vulnerability, Tess Sanchez’s “We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction” offers insights not only into Hollywood’s casting world but also into the resiliency of those navigating life’s unexpected turns.