Joseph Middleton is a casting director. He grew up in Georgia, beginning his career in film as a production assistant on Mississippi Burning (1988). His astute observation of miscast extras on set caught the eye of director Alan Parker, who encouraged him to explore casting. This led to a pivotal role with casting legend Shari Rhodes, where she worked as her associate on The Sandlot (1993), ultimately launching Middleton into a distinguished independent casting career.