EXCLUSIVE: In one of those end of an era executive departures, Dawn Steinberg is stepping down as Head of Worldwide Talent and Casting for Sony Pictures Television after 23 years at the studio. She will stay on to help with the transition before embarking on a new chapter.

Steinberg joined SPT in 2003 as SVP and head of casting. In 2018, she was promoted to EVP, Worldwide Talent & Casting, adding international productions to her domestic responsibilities.

Besides Sharon Klein, who has led casting for 20th Television for more than 25 years (now part of her larger Disney portfolio), Steinberg is believed to be the longest tenured head of casting at a major television studio. She is one of the last of that generation of powerful TV casting executives who were stars in their own right as platforms rely more on outside consultants in the streaming era.

In her most recent role, Steinberg oversaw talent and casting across SPT’s global slate, working with casting directors, writers and producers on all current series and projects in development across network, cable and streaming platforms, along with the studio’s international production companies.

There is no current replacement for her but there are no plans for the studio to outsource casting to outside casting directors.

Over the course of her Sony tenure spanning many regimes, Steinberg played a key role in a number of castings that defined TV series and launched — or reinvented — acting careers. She was instrumental in the casting of Bryan Cranston, then best known as the dad on Malcolm In the Middle, and Aaron Paul, in his first series regular role, on Breaking Bad; Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan on Outlander; Freddie Highmore on The Good Doctor and Molly Parker on Doc. She also cast two then-little known young Australian actresses in their first Hollywood roles, Rose Byrne in Damages and Margot Robbie in Pan Am.

Over the years, Steinberg has overseen casting on such series as Pluribus, Better Call Saul, For All Mankind, The Night Agent, God of War, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Alex Rider, The Artful Dodger, The Blacklist, The Goldbergs and Cobra Kai.

“Dawn has been an integral part of this studio for more than two decades, bringing exceptional creative instincts, taste, and a deep passion for talent to everything she does,” Katherine Pope, President, Sony Pictures Television Studios, and Wayne Garvie, President, International Production, Sony Pictures Television, said in a joint statement. “She has played a key role in shaping so many of the series that define our business, and her commitment to elevating actors and supporting creative partners has left a lasting impact across our shows and our team. Dawn is truly one of a kind, and we’re incredibly grateful for all she’s brought to Sony over the years. We wish her all the best in her next chapter.”

Prior to joining Sony Pictures Television, Steinberg held casting roles at NBC Studios, Artists Television Group and Big Ticket Television. She started as an independent casting director in New York.