Meet the Team: Ariel Gade

What’s your name and where are you from?

My name is Ariel Gade. I was born and raised in California. I have lived in San Diego, CA for most of my life. However, my husband and I recently relocated to the Sacramento area as we prepare for the birth of our first baby girl.

What is your role at The Merry Beggars?

I currently serve as the Casting Associate at The Merry Beggars, where I assist the Casting Director in publishing casting calls, evaluating actor auditions, and coordinating communication between The Merry Beggars and actors/talent agencies. My role ensures a smooth casting process by managing auditions, liaising with talent, and supporting the overall casting workflow.

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How did you join The Merry Beggars team?

I first applied for a position at The Merry Beggars in May 2023. Although I wasn’t selected at the time due to a highly competitive pool of candidates, Peter mentioned that if another Casting Associate position became available, they would love to reach out to me again.

I was initially disappointed because I deeply resonated with the company’s mission and was eager to contribute to the incredible work they were doing. However, I entrusted the situation to God and continued to pray about it.

Then, in July of that same year, Peter reached out again, and I was introduced to Kevin Collins. Shortly after, I officially joined The Merry Beggars as a Casting Associate—truly an answered prayer!

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What is something no one knows about you?

Something that no one knows about it is that I love country music! Luke Combs is one of my favorite artists. Back in 2023, I was inspired to learn the guitar. I’m still very much a beginner, but I love to play some of my favorite country songs in my spare time.

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What is the favorite project you have worked on at The Merry Beggars?

There have been so many wonderful projects, but my favorite has probably been Louise and Zelie. It’s such a beautiful love story, and they are saints that are very close to my heart because my parents share their wedding anniversary date. It was a truly amazing cast, and listening to the series brought tears to my eyes.

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What is working at The Merry Beggars like?

The mission and the people are what make working at The Merry Beggars so wonderful. It’s an extremely talented and collaborative group of entertainment industry professionals who all share this common goal of creating beautiful, inspiring content. It’s one thing to be able to work in a field that you love, but to be able to do that in a work environment that understands the importance of faith is really fulfilling. It’s a rare gem in the world of entertainment and I feel extremely blessed to be a part of it.

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