How did Shakespeare cast his female roles?

During Shakespeare's time, all roles in his plays, including female roles, were played by male actors. Women weren't allowed to perform on stage until the Restoration period in the late 17th century.

The actors who played female roles in Shakespeare's time were known as "boy actors" or "breeches roles." These actors were typically young men in puberty or adulthood who played women characters for both practical and aesthetic reasons.