Extras may become extinct in the coronavirus era

The Hollywood Reporter

The "background community" has long feared that they would be replaced by computer-generated people. The coronavirus restrictions have made those fears all the more real. "Nobody wants what I'm selling," says veteran casting director Sande Alessi, who specializes in extras. "Nobody wants human beings." Background coordinator Lisa Marie Boiko adds that "it's physically impossible" to have crowds behind actors under coronavirus guidelines. The logistics of bringing extras to the set is difficult. "How do you do that in a (transportation) van — bring one passenger per trip?" she asks. "I work with groups of 50 background actors or more. The holding areas we use are not very big. Renting out a hangar to spread them out will cost a lot more money."