‘L.A. Law’ Contributor Ronnie Yeskel Has Died

Longtime casting director Ronnie Yeskel has died. According to Variety, Yeskel, who worked on L.A. Law and Pulp Fiction died on Jan. 4 at The Motion Picture & Television Fund Retirement Home in Woodland Hills. AMPAS Governor Richard Hicks confirmed the news about Yeskel, who was battling cancer. She was 76 years old.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Yeskel had a passion for New York theater starting at an early age. After graduating from the University of Maryland, she worked as a stage manager for off-Broadway, later casting for theater in New York and Washington, D.C. Once she moved to Los Angeles, she casted for a variety of projects across film and television. She worked with Quentin Tarantino on numerous occasions, including Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

Throughout the ‘90s and ‘00s, she also worked on Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Waking the Dead, Orphan, and L.A. Law. She earned an Emmy nomination in 2003 for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series for Curb Your Enthusiasm with Marla Garlin and Richard Hicks. Additionally, she cast Emmy winner Kieran Culkin in his first-ever lead role in the 2002 dramedy Igby Goes Down as the titular Jason “Igby” Slocumb Jr., for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.

Ronnie Yeskel was on the board of the Casting Society in the late ‘90s and was a member of the Casting Directors branch of AMPAS. She earned 10 CS Artios Award nominations, winning three: for Pulp Fiction with casting director Gary Zuckerbrod, Curb Your Enthusiasm with Hicks, and The Sessions. Other projects that Yeskel casted for include Bean and The Sessions, and she clearly made an impact on Hollywood. Not just because she gave some big names their start.

“Ronnie touched the lives and careers of so many of us with her passion and her talent,” friend and actor Matt O’Toole said. “She always fought for the actor with great respect and kindness. She was so joyful.” Survived by her brother David, daughter Emily, son-in-law David Jones, and grandchildren Bentley and Luna, Yeskel was described as “unique” and “a proud hippie” who “led with her heart and was loved in return.” Details will be released soon about a celebration of life for Yeskel, which will be held sometime in the spring.