Spielberg Used Kitchen Auditions for Raiders to Calm Nervous Actors

What was said

"I decided that all the actors that I audition in person, I'm gonna meet them in a kitchen, and we're gonna cook. We're gonna actually cook. For a couple of movies, starting with Raiders, everybody that came in met me in a kitchen, and we were cooking stuff. Everybody becomes so real when they're covered in flour."

Steven Spielberg revealed he developed an unconventional audition method starting with Raiders of the Lost Ark where he would meet actors in kitchens and cook with them to help them relax. He explained that his success created intimidation barriers that disadvantaged him in auditions, and cooking together allowed actors to show their authentic selves.