(BlackEnterprise.com) — For over a decade Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd has helped launch the acting careers of countless Hollywood hopefuls, making her the first casting director to successfully shift from music videos to major motion pictures. The New York native has an eagle eye for raw talent that has allowed her to discover actors such as Michael Kenneth Williams[Boardwalk Empire], Naturi Naughton [Notorious,The Playboy Club], Columbus Short [Scandal, Stomp the Yard] and Laz Alonso [Jumping the Broom,Avatar], to name a few. Most recently Byrd has been credited with casting the late Whitney Houston’s final film, Sparkle, which also introducesAmerican Idol star, Jordin Sparks, in her acting debut.

With an infectious personality and ambition that is matched by her foresight, the veteran casting director sat down with BlackEnterprise.com to talk about the slick moves that boosted her early career, how she chooses leads, and just how closely art and life can intermingle.

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