Harley Kaplan's Early Life and Education
Harley Kaplan was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and relocated to the United States as a child. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and later pursued higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication Arts.
Career Beginnings and Training
After graduating from university, Harley moved to New York City and started working as a production trainee for Fox Television. He took on various odd-jobs, including a stint as a corporate floater for New Line Cinema, which allowed him to study acting extensively. Harley honed his acting skills under the guidance of renowned instructors, including Sandy Dennis, the New School/Actors Studio, and Chicago City Limits.
Theatrical and Screen Career
Harley made his debut in the theater, transitioning from Off-off Broadway to Off-Broadway productions. He subsequently landed roles in film and television. He is a co-founder and casting director with Powers/Kaplan Casting, a bi-coastal casting office specializing in independent film. Some of his notable projects include This is Not a War Story, The Last Time I Saw You Blessed, The Glass Cage, Empathy Inc, Buck Run, Benji The Dove, New Money, Noble Earth, Swing Away, One Penny, the web series All Hail Beth, and the television pilots, Bennie's, In Reality, and Couch Crashers.
Early Casting Experience
Harley began his casting career with the legendary office of Hopkins/Smith/Barden, where he worked as a casting assistant on movies such as Boys Don't Cry, The Cider House Rules, and Simply Irresistible. He later served as an associate with PalmStar and S2 Entertainment on an array of films, including Jack and Diane, For Ellen, Gun Hill Road, Union Square, Silver Tongues, and The Girl Is In Trouble.
Founding of Powers/Kaplan Casting
Since forming Powers/Kaplan in 2010, Harley has cast the award-winning Blue Ruin and The Comedy, as well as Mamarosh, The Sector, The Tell-Tale Heart, Google's The Review Review, and promotional campaigns for Sony, Random-House, PSE&G, AncestryDNA, Keio University, Yeshiva University, EF Language Schools, Carolina Herrera, and Puristics. Harley has also written and produced short films and executive-produced the features Buck Run, Death4told, and Temptation.
