Andrea Eastman, the casting director for “The Godfather” and former Hollywood agent, died Wednesday at her home in Santa Barbara at age 86. Eastman played a key role in the casting of several films during the “New Hollywood” movement, and later dedicated her life to animal advocacy.
Eastman began her career in casting and rose to become one of Hollywood’s first “superagents,” serving as senior vice president at International Creative Management, and also working at Creative Management Associates and International Famous Agency. She was instrumental in securing Al Pacino for the role of Michael Corleone in “The Godfather,” despite initial resistance from Paramount executives, and also negotiated the casting of James Caan as Sonny. Her work on the film is now part of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures archives.
Beyond “The Godfather,” Eastman oversaw the casting of “Love Story,” featuring Ali MacGraw, Ryan O’Neal, and Tommy Lee Jones, whom she discovered, as well as “Goodbye Columbus.” She guided the careers of numerous Hollywood stars including Sylvester Stallone, Billy Crystal, Richard Gere, Barbra Streisand, Jamie Lee Curtis, Katherine Heigl, Christopher Reeve and Tony Danza.
In later life, Eastman moved to Montana and focused on animal welfare, establishing a sanctuary for rescued horses and dogs. She partnered with Robert Redford in a campaign to pass California’s Proposition 6, which outlawed the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Eastman also authored the children’s book “Trooper at the Beverly Hills Hotel,” inspired by her recovery from open-heart surgery with her Golden Retriever, Trooper. Her animal advocacy work was featured in Jill Rappaport’s book, “People We Know, Horses They Love,” and her career as an agent was portrayed in the miniseries “The Offer.”
Eastman is survived by her former husband, Paul N. Lazarus III; her stepson, Robert Lazarus; and his wife, Annie.
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