[on working with Sheryl Lee in Texas Killing Fields (2011)] Sheryl Lee came in and blew me away and Stephen Graham is a genius. I'm incredibly lucky to have gotten the cast I got, some of the most talented actors working today. Sheryl Lee, she just had... I wanted very much for that character when you looked at her you could tell that she'd once been an incredible beauty and she'd made some bad choices. The part was pretty small, but it needed to have an impact and I think Sheryl captured that really well. - (January 2012)

[on the cast of Texas Killing Fields (2011)] I just have to say, I'm so lucky to have gotten this incredible cast. Sam [Sam Worthington] was the first one on board. He read the script and responded to it, we met and he signed on. I actually hadn't known him from anything except this little film he did in Australia called Somersault (2004). I saw it a long time ago and thought he was just great in it. I was thrilled that he came on board. Jeffrey Dean [Jeffrey Dean Morgan] was just completely the bullseye because he's very generous with his presence, as an actor, and that's exactly the quality Brian needed. Jessica [Jessica Chastain], none of the movies she's in right now were available. I had seen her in this movie called Jolene (2008), and thought she was great. Chloë [Chloë Grace Moretz] auditioned, and within two seconds, I knew she was the one. Just instinctually, she had the right approach for the character of Little Anne, this complete lack of self-pity and a child-like tenacity which was exactly what Little Anne needed. All the way down, Stephen Graham is brilliant. Sheryl Lee, I think, is an incredible actress, totally underused. James Landry Hébert, who plays Sheryl Lee's son, is a local actor. He's an up and comer. I love my cast. I feel very, very, lucky. They're all brilliant. - (October 2011)