Allen & Payne Casting was founded by casting directors Lucy Allen (she/her) and Tom Payne (they/them). The company has cast a wide range of acclaimed projects, including the TV series Bergerac (Series 1 & 2, U & DRAMA), Grace (Series 5 & 6, ITV), and Domino Day (BBC Three). Their feature work includes Sunny Dancer, premiering at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival (co-cast with Daniel Edwards CDG), and Chatlines, as well as the recently Oscar-nominated short film A Friend of Dorothy (Disney+). Allen & Payne are currently attached to multiple film and television projects in various stages of development.

Lucy and Tom first met whilst working as part of the Emmy, RTS, and CDG award-winning casting team behind Netflix’s Heartstopper (S1–3). The duo have since collaborated as co-casting directors with Daniel Edwards including on TV series 4Stories (s4): On The Edge (CH4) as well as Feature film Black Dog, which premiered at the London Film Festival 2023.

At the heart of Allen & Payne Casting is a commitment to championing young talent and elevating voices from underrepresented communities. In 2022, they launched GAP Workshops, a free initiative designed to support and introduce trans actors to the film and television industry. Several participants have since booked their first professional TV credits. Their work with GAP Workshops was nationally recognised when they became finalists for the Positive Role Model for LGBT category at the National Diversity Awards 2024. This year it was announced that they would be awarded the Global Impact Award at the Artois Award 2026.

Lucy and Tom bring their industry expertise, inclusive ethos, and passion for storytelling to every project, building casts that reflect the world we live in while opening doors for the next generation of performers.