Winsome Sinclair obit

Winsome Sinclair, Casting Director Who Worked Often With Spike Lee, Dies at 58

Her long list of credits included ‘Malcolm X,’ ‘Get on the Bus,’ ‘Amistad,’ ‘Precious,’ ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’ and ‘Pariah.’ 

She was not on the list.

Winsome Sinclair, the casting director who helped bring in actors for Waiting to Exhale, Amistad, Precious, The Best Man and a dozen films directed by Spike Lee, has died. She was 58.

Sinclair died Monday in hospice care on Long Island after a long battle with colon cancer, publicist Clorissa Wright-Thomas told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family was at her bedside.

The New York native launched the global casting agency Winsome Sinclair and Associates in New York in 1996, then relocated the business to Atlanta in 2014 amid that city’s production boom.

Sinclair also cast extras for the John Singleton-directed features Higher Learning (1995), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Abduction (2011), for the Malcolm D. Lee-helmed The Best Man (1999) and Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016) and for the Dee Rees-directed Pariah (2011) and Bessie (2015).

She handled similar duties on the Hughes brothers’ Dead Presidents (1995), Forest Whitaker’s Waiting to Exhale (1995), Steven Spielberg’s Amistad (1997), Craig Brewer’s Black Snake Moan (2006) and Lee Daniels’ Precious (2009).

Sinclair served as a casting intern on Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues (1990), then worked with the director on Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), Get on the Bus (1996), He Got Game (1998), Summer of Sam (1999), 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), Inside Man (2006), Miracle at St. Anna (2008) and Red Hook Summer (2012).

Winsome G.M. Sinclair was born in Jamaica on Oct. 27, 1965, and raised on Long Island. She graduated from Uniondale High School and Florida A&M University before getting into the business.

Her first casting director credit came on Hype Williams’ Belly (1998), starring Nas and DMX.

Sinclair’s casting résumé included the films Cadillac Records (2008), Sparkle (2012), the Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez on Me (2017) and Nappily Ever After (2018) and the BET series Being Mary Jane.

She also produced a handful of films, including Maynard, a 2017 documentary about Maynard Jackson Jr., the first Black mayor of Atlanta.

In 2017, Sinclair adopted blood brothers Micah, now 10, and Kairo, now 8, and they served as the inspiration for her 2020 book, You Are My SONshines. They survive her, as do her parents, Walter and Shirley; her brothers, Nick, Mark, Barry and Kirk; and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her kids.

Sinclair “brought light to everyone she encountered, with a unique ability to see more in people than they could see in themselves,” producer and publicist Cassandra Butcher wrote on Instagram. “A true fan of life and culture, her passion for the arts and her deep love for family and community will continue to inspire those who know her. Winsome’s legacy in the film industry and the lives she touched will live on, reminding us of her vibrant spirit and the stories she helped bring to life.”

Casting Department

Sanaa Lathan in Nappily Ever After (2018)

Nappily Ever After

6.4

local casting: director

2018

 

Demetrius Shipp Jr. in All Eyez on Me (2017)

All Eyez on Me

5.9

local principal casting

2017

 

Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, Cedric The Entertainer, Regina Hall, Common, Eve, Deon Cole, J.B. Smoove, Lamorne Morris, and Nicki Minaj in Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)

Barbershop: The Next Cut

5.9

local principal casting

2016

 

Queen Latifah in Bessie (2015)

Bessie

6.7

TV Movie

extras casting

2015

 

Seasons of Love (2014)

Seasons of Love

4.5

TV Movie

casting

2014

 

Knifed Up (2014)

Knifed Up

casting producer

2014

 

Hating Obama (2014)

Hating Obama

3.9

casting producer

2014

 

David Alan Grier, Craig Robinson, Kerry Washington, and Tyler James Williams in Peeples (2013)

Peeples

5.4

extras casting

2013

 

Whitney Houston, CeeLo Green, Carmen Ejogo, Mike Epps, Derek Luke, Tika Sumpter, and Jordin Sparks in Sparkle (2012)

Sparkle

5.8

extras casting

2012

 

Taylor Lautner in Abduction (2011)

Abduction

5.1

extras casting

2011

 

Pariah (2011)

Pariah

7.2

extras casting

2011

 

Before I Self Destruct (2009)

Before I Self Destruct

4.7

Video

casting

2009

 

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2009)

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll

5.7

extras casting

2009

 

Gabourey Sidibe in Precious (2009)

Precious

7.3

extras casting

2009

 

Adrien Brody, Norman Reedus, Beyoncé, Jeffrey Wright, and Shiloh Fernandez in Cadillac Records (2008)

Cadillac Records

7.0

background casting

2008

 

Miracle at St. Anna (2008)

Miracle at St. Anna

6.1

extras casting: New York

2008

 

Illegal Tender (2007)

Illegal Tender

5.4

extras casting

2007

 

Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan (2006)

Black Snake Moan

6.9

background casting: Memphis

local and extras casting

2006

 

Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, and Clive Owen in Inside Man (2006)

Inside Man

7.6

extras casting: Winsome Sinclair & Associates

2006

 

Ossie Davis and Stephen Rea in Proud (2004)

Proud

5.6

extras casting

2004

 

Farrah Fawcett, Danny Glover, Queen Latifah, Jonathan Silverman, Tim Meadows, Frankie Faison, Meagan Good, Jenifer Lewis, Ja Rule, Eve, and Quran Pender in The Cookout (2004)

The Cookout

3.8

extras casting

2004

 

Anthony Mackie in She Hate Me (2004)

She Hate Me

5.3

extras casting

2004

 

Ludacris, Eva Mendes, Tyrese Gibson, Paul Walker, and Devon Aoki in 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

2 Fast 2 Furious

5.9

extras casting

2003

 

Dave Chappelle in Chappelle's Show (2003)

Chappelle's Show

8.8

TV Series

extras casting

2003

1 episode

 

Edward Norton in 25th Hour (2002)

25th Hour

7.6

extras casting

2002

 

Kim Basinger, Al Pacino, and Téa Leoni in People I Know (2002)

People I Know

5.4

extras casting

2002

 

Stacey Dash, Kevin Hart, and Beanie Sigel in Paper Soldiers (2002)

Paper Soldiers

5.4

extras casting

2002

 

Blair Underwood, Richard T. Jones, and Chenoa Maxwell in G (2002)

G

5.1

extras casting

2002

 

Benjamin Bratt in Piñero (2001)

Piñero

6.2

extras casting

2001

 

Brooklyn Babylon (2001)

Brooklyn Babylon

5.9

extras casting

2001

 

Just Looking (1999)

Just Looking

6.6

extras casting

1999

 

Black & White (1999)

Black & White

5.0

extras casting

1999

 

Nia Long, Monica Calhoun, Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Melissa De Sousa, and Harold Perrineau in The Best Man (1999)

The Best Man

6.7

extras casting

1999

 

The Weekend (1999)

The Weekend

6.2

extras casting

1999

 

Summer of Sam (1999)

Summer of Sam

6.7

extras casting

1999

 

Malik Yoba in New York Undercover (1994)

New York Undercover

7.9

TV Series

extras casting

1998–1999

13 episodes

 

Stacey Dash, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Michelle Hurd, and Malik Yoba in Personals (1999)

Personals

5.0

extras casting

1999

 

Jada Pinkett Smith and Tommy Davidson in Woo (1998)

Woo

4.2

extras casting: New York

1998

 

Denzel Washington in He Got Game (1998)

He Got Game

6.9

extras casting

1998

 

Ice Cube, Monica Calhoun, Jamie Foxx, Bernie Mac, LisaRaye McCoy, and Chrystale Wilson in The Players Club (1998)

The Players Club

5.8

casting associate

1998

 

Amistad (1997)

Amistad

7.3

extras casting: East Coast

1997

 

Courteney Cox, Anthony LaPaglia, and Aidan Quinn in Commandments (1997)

Commandments

5.5

casting: background

1997

 

In the Gloaming (1997)

In the Gloaming

7.0

TV Movie

extras casting

1997

 

Get on the Bus (1996)

Get on the Bus

6.9

extras casting: Virginia and Washington D.C.

1996

 

Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon, and Loretta Devine in Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Waiting to Exhale

6.0

extras casting (as Winsome G.M. Sinclair)

1995

 

Dead Presidents (1995)

Dead Presidents

6.9

extras casting

1995

 

Clockers (1995)

Clockers

6.9

extras casting (as Winsome G.M. Sinclair)

1995

 

Higher Learning (1995)

Higher Learning

6.5

extras casting (as Winsome G.M. Sinclair)

1995

 

Spike Lee, Delroy Lindo, Alfre Woodard, and Zelda Harris in Crooklyn (1994)

Crooklyn

7.0

extras casting

1994

 

American Playhouse (1980)

American Playhouse

7.4

TV Series

extras casting

1993

1 episode

 

Sugar Hill (1993)

Sugar Hill

5.8

extras casting

1993

 

Michael Biehn, Dina Meyer, Samaria Graham, Paul McCrane, Busta Rhymes, Chi Ali, Don Blakely, Starletta DuPois, Jay Devlin, Kool Moe Dee, George Letrell, Mike Farley, Sticky Fingaz, Carmel Forte, Dorothi Fox, Joseph Gimpel, Kia Goodwin, Mary Hedahl, Skoob, Jermaine Hopkins, Hugh Hurd, Angela Jones, Edward Lewis, Monie Love, Marcella Lowery, Anthony Lozama, Marshall Maurice Mitchell, Raymond Moy, Nzingha, Jack O'Connell, Wendell Pierce, Tonya Pinkins, Evan Jermaine Simmons, Fredro Starr, Xiandia O. Stewart, William James Stiggers Jr., Tanganyika, Jamie Tirelli, Yul Vazquez, Isaiah Washington, Craig Wasson, Andre G. 'Crazy Drayz' Weston, Yolanda 'Yo-Yo' Whittaker, Bokeem Woodbine, Samuel E. Wright, and David Robinson in Strapped (1993)

Strapped

6.4

TV Movie

extras casting

1993

 

Who's the Man? (1993)

Who's the Man?

5.3

extras casting

1993

 

ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)

ABC Afterschool Specials

7.1

TV Series

extras casting

1993

1 episode

 

Malcolm X (1992)

Malcolm X

7.7

extras casting

1992

 

Juice (1992)

Juice

7.0

extras casting

1992

 

Jungle Fever (1991)

Jungle Fever

6.6

casting production assistant

1991

 

Casting Director

Athazagora

Casting Director

Pre-productionShort

2024

 

I Am Maurice

Casting Director

In Production

 

Cases

Casting Director (casting by)

Pre-productionTV Series

 

Lost Seoul

Casting Director

Pre-production

 

The Promise Keeper

Casting Director

Pre-production

 

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine in Seeking: Mapping Our Gullah Geechee Story (2023)

Seeking: Mapping Our Gullah Geechee Story

Short

Casting Director

2023

 

The Night Before Christmas (2022)

The Night Before Christmas

6.4

Casting Director

2022

 

Respect the Jux (2022)

Respect the Jux

3.1

Casting Director

2022

 

A Luv Tale: The Series (2021)

A Luv Tale: The Series

8.1

TV Mini Series

Casting Director

2021

6 episodes

 

Lil Mama in All In (2019)

All In

6.2

Casting Director

2019

 

Maynard (2017)

Maynard

6.8

Casting Director

2017

 

Demetrius Shipp Jr. in All Eyez on Me (2017)

All Eyez on Me

5.9

Casting Director

2017

 

T.I. Feat. London Jae, Translee, Charlie Wilson, B.o.B: Us or Else (2017)

T.I. Feat. London Jae, Translee, Charlie Wilson, B.o.B: Us or Else

Music Video

Casting Director

2017

 

All Eyez on Me Promo (2017)

All Eyez on Me Promo

Short

Casting Director (local principal casting)

2017

 

Gabrielle Union in Being Mary Jane (2013)

Being Mary Jane

7.6

TV Series

Casting Director

2017

10 episodes

 

Hating Obama (2014)

Hating Obama

3.9

Casting Director

2014

 

Truth Unspoken Series (2012)

Truth Unspoken Series

7.0

TV Series

Casting Director

2012

3 episodes

 

Slavery by Another Name (2012)

Slavery by Another Name

7.8

TV Movie

Casting Director

2012

 

Red Hook Summer (2012)

Red Hook Summer

5.3

Casting Director (extras casting)

2012

 

Before I Self Destruct (2009)

Before I Self Destruct

4.7

Video

Casting Director

2009

 

Little Minx Exquisite Corpse: She Walked Calmly Disappearing Into the Darkness (2008)

Little Minx Exquisite Corpse: She Walked Calmly Disappearing Into the Darkness

8.1

Short

Casting Director

2008

 

Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan (2006)

Black Snake Moan

6.9

Casting Director

2006

 

My Brother (2006)

My Brother

5.1

Casting Director

2006

 

Talent Harris, Kool Bubba Ice, Lena Moore, Rick Younger, and Shaun Cruz in Fulgazi (2004)

Fulgazi

4.8

Video

Casting Director

2004

 

Crime Partners (2003)

Crime Partners

3.5

Casting Director

2003

 

Blair Underwood, Richard T. Jones, and Chenoa Maxwell in G (2002)

G

5.1

Casting Director

2002

 

Santa, Baby! (2001)

Santa, Baby!

5.4

TV Movie

Casting Director

2001

 

30 Years to Life (2001)

30 Years to Life

5.9

Casting Director

2001

 

DMX and Nas in Belly (1998)

Belly

6.2

Casting Director

1998

 

Producer

Athazagora

associate producer

Pre-productionShort

2024

 

One Night Stay (2024)

One Night Stay

7.8

executive producer

2024

 

Alphonso A'Qen-Aten Jackson, Monyetta Shaw, Travis Cure, and Michelle l Lamb in I Wish I Never Met You (2022)

I Wish I Never Met You

5.8

producer

2022

 

Maynard (2017)

Maynard

6.8

producer

2017

 

Renell Gibbs, Jeph Cangé, T.J. Garland, and Sean Baker in Untitled (2016)

Untitled

Short

executive producer

producer

2016

 

Actor's Scope (2015)

Actor's Scope

TV Mini Series

executive producer

2015