Cable Pilot Casting News for 2012 Season

Danny Masterson Cast As The Lead Of TBS’ Comedy Pilot ‘Men At Work’



EXCLUSIVE: Danny Masterson has landed the lead in TBS’ pilot Men At Work, a multi-camera sitcom created by Breckin Meyer. The project, from Sony Pictures TV and Jamie Tarses’ studio-based Fanfare, is an ensemble multi-camera comedy that centers on Milo (Masterson), a nice guy recently dumped by his girlfriend who enlists the help of his friends to reactivate his manhood. Meyer, Tarses and Julia Franz are executive producing. That ’70s Show alum Masterson, repped by UTA and Masterson Management, most recently starred in and produced comedy pilot Playing with Guns. He toplined both the original pilot at Spike TV and the second, revamped version, ordered by Comedy Central earlier this year.

Keith Carradine To Star In TNT’s Western Pilot ‘Gateway’



Keith Carradine has been tapped for a starring role in the TNT Western drama pilot Gateway aka Tin Star. The action/adventure project, executive produced by Bruce C. McKenna and Danny Cannon, received a cast-contingent pilot order in August. Set in the Colorado town of the same name in the 1880s, Gateway tells the story of three brothers who step in to save their town when their sheriff father is murdered, pitting them against a corrupt cattle baron determined to make the town his own. Carradine will play Frank Saar, a tired homesteader, worn down by the hardships of the West, who is thrust into the role of a father figure to the late sheriff’s three sons. Carradine joins Cam Gigandet, who was recently cast as one of the brothers. Warner Horizon is producing the pilot, which will be directed by Cannon from a script by McKenna. Carradine, repped by Innovative and manager Jon Bauer, recently payed a sheriff in the feature Western with a sci-fi twist Cowboys & Aliens.

Four Join TNT’s Western Pilot ‘Gateway’


(O'Donnell & Lange)

EXCLUSIVE: Keir O’Donnell, David Denman, Shannon Lucio and Eric Lange have been cast in the TNT Western drama pilot Gateway aka Tin Star. The action/adventure project, executive produced by Bruce C. McKenna and Danny Cannon, is set in the Colorado town of the same name in the 1880s. It tells the story of three Flynn brothers — Terence (Denman), Daniel (O’Donnell) and Jake (previously cast Cam Gigandet) — who step in to save their town when their sheriff father is murdered, pitting them against a corrupt cattle baron determined to make the town his own. Lucio will play Terence’s wife. Lange, repped by Domain and Trademark, will play the town banker. In addition to Gigandet, O’Donnell, Denman, Lucio and Lange join the recently cast Keith Carradine, who plays the brothers’ surrogate father. Warner Horizon is producing the pilot, which will be directed by Cannon from a script by McKenna.

TNT Pilot ‘Scent Of The Missing’ Sets Tricia Helfer As Lead, Gerald McRaney To Co-Star



EXCLUSIVE: Battlestar Galactica alumna Tricia Helfer has been cast as the lead in TNT’s drama pilot Scent Of The Missing. Veteran Gerald McRaney will co-star in the project, co-written/executive produced by CSI maven Carol Mendelsohn, Melissa R. Byer and Treena Hancock based on the book by Susannah Charleson. Scent Of The Missing centers on Susannah (Helfer), a tenacious, strong-willed K-9 Search and Rescue volunteer who works with an equally determined partner — her mischievous golden retriever, Puzzle. McRaney will play her father, Jerry. The dog has not been cast yet. CBS Television Studios is producing the pilot, with Barry Josephson and Julie Weitz also executive producing. Helfer, who co-starred in Ron Moore’s NBC drama pilot 17th Precinct last season, has a major recurring role on NBC’s midseason series The Firm. McRaney, repped by Stone Manners Salners and Course Management, recently starred in another TNT pilot, Bird Dog.

Comedy Central Greenlights ‘Review’ Pilot Starring Andrew Daly



Comedy Central has given a pilot order to Review With Forrest MacNeil, a half-hour comedy written and executive produced by Charlie Siskel (Tosh.0) and Andrew Daly and starring Daly as the title character. Based on the Australian series Review With Myles Barlow created by and starring Phil Lloyd, the project is a send-up of traditional review shows but instead of films, food or art, Forrest MacNeil reviews difficult life experiences … by living them. He reviews whatever his TV audience throws at him: the adrenaline rush of stealing, the drama of divorce, the effects of murder, the wonder of anonymous sex. And he rates every adventure on a scale of zero to five stars. Forrest’s unwavering commitment to his work often comes at the expense of his wife, his children, his affable neighbor Gary and his co-workers. Daly, repped by CAA and Principato-Young, recently wrapped the upcoming season of HBO’s Eastbound & Down. He will next be seen in the feature Everybody Loves Whales.

Quartet Cast In TBS Comedy Pilot ‘Sullivan And Son’ Produced By Vince Vaughn



XCLUSIVE: Valerie Azlynn, Jodi Long, Vivian Bang and Owen Benjamin have been cast opposite Steve Byrne in TBS’ half-hour comedy pilot Sullivan And Son, starring comedian Byrne and executive produced by Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley. Written by Byrne and Cheers alum Rob Long, who serves as executive producer/showrunner, Sullivan And Son is in the vein of the classic NBC comedy and takes place in a popular and legendary neighborhood bar in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh. It centers on Steve Sullivan (Byrne), the son of the bar’s current owner and the grandson of its founder, who surprises his Irish-American father and Korean-American mother (Long) when he decides to leave his job as a successful corporate attorney in New York and return to the neighborhood to take over Sullivan & Son. Azlynn, repped by Innovative and Trademark Talent, will play Melanie, a regular at the bar and the love interest to Steve. Bang will play Steve’s long-suffering, under-appreciated younger sister. Benjamin will play Steve’s childhood friend who has no filter. Warner Horizon and Vaughn’s Wild West Picture Show banner are producing.

Lifetime Orders Drama Pilot; Melanie Griffith To Star And Produce With Antonio Banderas



Lifetime has greenlighted to pilot American Housewife, a drama that has Melanie Griffith is negotiations to star as well as executive produce with husband/producing partner Antonio Banderas. The pilot, which David Slade (Eclipse) is in negotiations to direct, was written by Erik Jendresen (Band Of Brothers) based on an idea by him and Banderas. American Housewife, produced by Fox TV Studios, centers on a mother of two children who has conversations with her inner voice while dealing with one of her kids leaving home for college and the other remaining at home. In addition to Griffith, Banderas and Jendresen, the pilot will be executive produced by Jendresen’s producing partner Ray Ricord. Banderas worked with Jendresen on the Tony Krantz-directed movie The Big Bang, which Jendresen wrote and produced and Banderas starred in. The two are now collaborating on a new feature project, Solo.

Cable Pilot Castings: Dan Lauria To Star In ‘Sullivan & Son’, Austin Butler In ‘Intercept’


(Lauria - Butler)

EXCLUSIVE: Dan Lauria is set to star opposite Steve Byrne in TBS’ half-hour comedy pilot Sullivan And Son, starring comedian Byrne and executive produced by Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley. Written by Byrne and Cheers alum Rob Long, Sullivan And Son is in the vein of the classic NBC comedy and takes place in a popular and legendary neighborhood bar in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh. It centers on Steve Sullivan (Byrne), the son of the bar’s current owner (Lauria) and the grandson of its founder, who surprises his Irish-American father and Korean-American mother (Jodi Long) when he decides to leave his job as a successful corporate attorney in New York and return to the neighborhood to take over Sullivan & Son. Lauria is with Talent Works, Marshak/Zachary & Jeff Berger.

Austin Butler, who has been recurring on ABC Family’s Switched At Birth, is set to star in a potential new series for the network. Butler has joined ABC Family’s hourlong pilot Intercept, a technology- and action-driven drama about four college students who get roped into solving crimes when one of them (Butler) creates a high-tech communication device that intercepts conversations throughout the West Coast. Butler joins recently cast Danielle Panabaker and Chloe Wang.

Chelsea Kane To Star In ABC Family Comedy Pilot ‘Baby Daddy’



EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea Kane (Jonas) has landed a lead in ABC Family’s comedy pilot Baby Daddy. The project, from executive producer Dan Berendsen (The Nine Lives of Chloe King), centers on Ben (Cameron Deane Stewart) who, in his 20s, becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she’s left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. Ben decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother; his brother Danny (Derek Theler), his best buddy; and his close friend Penny (Kane), who is harboring a secret crush on him. Kane, a finalist on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, will star in the upcoming ABC Family movie musical Elixir. The pilot will film in December.

Niecy Nash To Star In TV Land’s Cedric Pilot, Summer Glau Joins TNT’s ‘Scent’



EXCLUSIVE: Niecy Nash has landed the female lead opposite Cedric the Entertainer in his TV Land pilot, a spinoff from hit comedy Hot In Cleveland. Meanwhile, former Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles star Summer Glau and Daryl Mitchell (Brothers) have joined TNT’s drama pilot Scent Of The Missing.

Written by Hot In Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin, the spinoff follows Cedric’s character Reverend Boyce as he moves to St. Louis and has to balance his wild past with the expectations of his congregation and his family. Reno 911! alumna Nash, repped by WME and Principato-Young, will play his wife. Martin and Cedric wrote the pilot and are executive producing with Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner. Production is slated to begin on Dec. 2.

TNT’s Scent Of The Missing, executive produced by co-writers Carol Mendelsohn, Melissa R. Byer & Treena Hancock and Barry Josephson, centers on Susannah (Tricia Helfer), a tenacious, strong-willed K-9 Search and Rescue volunteer who works with an equally determined partner — her mischievous golden retriever, Puzzle. Glau, repped by UTA and the Schiff Co., will play a new member of the K-9 Search and Rescue team who is beautiful and very wealthy but much tougher than she looks. UTA-rpped Mitchell will play a wheelchair-bound former military sergeant who serves as the communications technician for the team. Production on the pilot, based on the book by Susannah Charleson, is slated to begin in late November.

TNT Drama Pilot ‘Scent Of The Missing’ Casts Its Canine Stars



Like with women over 50, lead TV series roles for dogs are few and far between. That’s why competition among canine actors was fierce for the starring roles in TNT’s drama pilot Scent Of The Missing. After an extensive auditioning process, golden retriever Jackson landed the lead dog role of Puzzle. Executive produced by co-writers Carol Mendelsohn, Melissa R. Byer & Treena Hancock and Barry Josephson, Scent Of The Missing centers on Susannah (Tricia Helfer), a tenacious, strong-willed K-9 Search and Rescue volunteer who works with an equally determined partner — her mischievous golden retriever. Saint Bernard/Australian Shepherd mix Bolt and German Shepherd San nabbed the key supporting roles of Shadow and Chaos, the canine partners of K-9 Search and Rescue team members Jake (Eric Winter) and Sedona (Summer Glau), respectively. Is it too late to pitch my master impersonator long haired German Shepherd for a role? (That’s him in character pictured on the left. I haven’t broken the news to him yet that The Playboy Club has been canceled.) Here is the official “press release” announcing the casting the four-legged stars complete with their representation information:

Jackson, a golden retriever, started his acting career as a puppy in Disney’s Treasure Buddies. He’s thrilled to be making his small screen debut as Puzzle, a rambunctious, water loving, search and rescue dog. Like Puzzle, Jackson loves to work and has his nose to the grindstone, learning search and rescue techniques and training to do his own stunts. Jackson is especially looking forward to be being partnered with Tricia Helfer.

Hot off the set of Disney’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3, Bolt, a Saint Bernard/Australian Shepherd mix, joins the Scent of the Missing canine cast as Shadow, a rubber ball obsessed, uber energetic search and rescue dog. Being half Saint Bernard, Bolt is anxious to showcase his breed’s great affinity for saving human lives. He is excited about being partnered with Eric Winter, who plays Jake, a firefighter, and thinks they’ll make a great team.

Rounding out the canine cast is Sam, a German Shepherd, who plays Chaos, the newest member of the search and rescue team. Chaos may not be the most experienced, but his fierce drive and heroism make him an invaluable asset to the team. A Hollywood veteran, Sam appeared in Disney’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua 1&2 as Delgado. A huge sci-fi fan, he can’t believe his luck in being partnered with Summer Glau, who plays Sedona, and is especially grateful that his love of salmon jerky was written into the script. Jackson, Bolt and Sam are all represented by Birds and Animals Unlimited.

Cheyenne Jackson And Ken Jenkins To Co-Star In USA’s Nathan Lane Comedy Pilot



EXCLUSIVE: Cheyenne Jackson (Glee, 30 Rock) and Scrubs alum Ken Jenkins are set to co-star opposite Nathan Lane in USA’s untitled Douglas McGrath comedy pilot. The single-camera comedy, which Oscar nominee McGrath (Bullets Over Broadway) wrote and will direct, centers on Jasper (Lane), an unlucky actor whose Broadway aspirations must be put on hold when his father’s health takes a turn for worse, forcing him to return to his Texas hometown. ICM-repped Jackson will play Tim, a handsome doctor who befriends Jasper in his Texas hometown. McGrath and Lane are executive producing for Universal Cable Prods. “It was a tremendous casting session,” USA’s SVP original scripted programming Bill McGoldrick said. “It is rare that you pick 2 people in the first casting session, and the runner-ups were very strong too.” This is one of 2 comedy pilots USA recently greenlit as part of its foray into half-hours. The deals for the other, Paging Dr. Freed, are still being finalized.

Jennie Garth To Star In & Produce ABC Family’s Comedy Pilot ‘Village People’



EXCLUSIVE: 90210 alumna Jennie Garth has been tapped as the lead in ABC Family’s half-hour comedy pilot Village People, from creator Meg DeLoatch. The project centers on Alexa (Garth), a single, high-powered career woman who adopts a baby from a teen mother — whom she ends up caring for as well. In addition to starring, Garth will also executive produce the pilot alongside DeLoatch. Garth recently reprises her role as Kelly Taylor on the CW’s 90210 reboot. On the comedy side, she starred on the WB series What I Like About You.

Cable Pilot Castings: Andrea Rosen To Star In ‘Andrew Gurland’, 3 Join ‘Village People’



New York-based actress-comedian Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael Have Issues) has landed the female lead opposite Andrew Gurland in Showtime’s comedy pilot The Andrew Gurland Project (form. Gurland On Gurland). The project, produced by Showtime in association with CBS TV Studios and Glenn Gordon Caron’s Picturemaker Prods., is a first-person documentary comedy written, directed and starring filmmaker Andrew Gurland, which reflects his real family life and the challenges he faces pursuing the next phase of his career. Gurland and Caron are executive producing. Rosen is with Gersh.

Sebastian Sozzi, Rachel Cannon and Sadie Calvano have joined Jennie Garth in the ABC Family’s half-hour comedy pilot Village People, from creator Meg DeLoatch. The project centers on Alexa (Garth), a single, high-powered career woman who adopts a baby from a teen mother (Calvano) — whom she ends up caring for as well. Sozzi and Cannon will play Alexa’s fiends Remy and Candace, respectively.

TBS’ Conan O’Brien-Produced Comedy Pilot Casts Its Leads



EXCLUSIVE: TBS has cast up-and-coming comedian Jay Malone and UCB performer David Neher as the 2 leads in the half-hour comedy pilot from Conan O’Brien’s production company. The untitled multi-camera project, referred to as BFF, centers on Mark (Malone), a family man who quits his day job and returns to the neighborhood where he grew up. There, he reunites with his quirky childhood best friend Roland (Neher) who still lives with his parents. The project, from O’Brien’s Conaco Prods. and Warner Horizon, was written by Ben Wexler, who serves as showrunner, Ross Novie and Jay Rondot. The three are executive producing with O’Brien, David Kissinger and Jeff Ross. The Conaco project is one of 3 half-hour pilots at TBS, along with Men at Work and Sullivan & Son. Malone is with Stone Manners Salners and New Wave.

Jeffrey Nordling To Co-Star in Lifetime’s Melanie Griffith Pilot ‘American Housewife’



EXCLUSIVE: 24 alum Jeffrey Nordling has been tapped to co-star opposite Melanie Griffith in Lifetime’s drama pilot American Housewife, which Griffith is executive producing with husband/producing partner Antonio Banderas. Young actress Kacey Rohl also has been cast in the pilot, written/executive produced by Erik Jendresen based on an idea by him and Banderas, and also executive produced by Ray Ricord. Directed by David Slade and produced by Fox TV Studios, American Housewife centers on Leila (Griffith), a seemingly perfect housewife living the American Dream in an affluent neighborhood, married to wealthy up-and-coming politician Stanford (Nordling) with whom she has three grown or almost-grown children. Rohl will play the youngest, Harper, 17, a high-school National Honor student who has a crush on one of her dad’s campaign aides. Leila’s life is filled with chaos, but lately even her quiet moments are not so quiet — she’s begun hearing a voice, and it’s telling her things she doesn’t want to know. Nordling, who is recurring on ABC’s Body Of Proof, is repped by APA which also reps Rohl, along with Red Management.

Trio Of Actors Cast In Lifetime, USA Pilots


(Luckey and MacCaull)

Matthew MacCaull (The Killing) and Ken Luckey (Mission Park) have been cast in Lifetime’s drama pilot American Housewife starring Melanie Griffith, who is executive producing with husband/producing partner Antonio Banderas. The Fox TV Studios-produced project centers on Leila (Griffith), a seemingly perfect housewife living the American Dream in an affluent neighborhood married to wealthy up-and-coming politician Stanford (Jeffrey Nordling) with whom she has three grown or almost-grown children. McCaull, repped by Pacific Artists Management, will play a quirky but brilliant campaign aide for Stanford, on whom Leila’s youngest daughter (Kacey Rohl) has a crush. Luckey, repped by Greene & Associates and Emerald Talent Group, will play the oldest son, a talented but somewhat unreliable artist and painter who is curious about his mother’s odd behavior.



Brandon Jay McLaren has joined USA’s untitled drama pilot from White Collar creator Jeff Eastin. The project, also from Fox TV Studios, follows agents from various federal and local agencies (DEA, FBI, LAPD) who live at an undercover house in Southern California. McLaren, repped by Pakula/King & Associates and Hofflund/Polone, will play Dale Jakes, a quick-tempered U.S. Customs agent living at the house.

Trio Cast In TBS And USA Comedy Pilots



Barry Bostwick and Julie Hagerty have joined the cast of TBS’ half-hour comedy pilot BFF, from Conan O’Brien’s production company and Warner Horizon. It centers on Mark (Jay Malone), a family man who quits his day job and returns to the neighborhood where he grew up. There, he reunites with his quirky childhood best friend Roland (David Neher), who still lives with his parents (Bostwick, Hagerty), who have lived in the same suburban house for 40 years. The project, from O’Brien’s Conaco Prods and Warner Horizon, was written by Ben Wexler, who serves as showrunner, Ross Novie and Jay Rondot.

Andrea Martin rounds out the cast of USA/UCP’s untitled Douglas McGrath comedy pilot. The single-camera comedy, which McGrath wrote and will direct, centers on Jasper (Nathan Lane), an unlucky actor whose Broadway aspirations must be put on hold when his father’s (Ken Jenkins) health takes a turn for the worse, forcing him to return to his Texas hometown. Martin will play the guest/potential recurring role of Jasper’s agent Peggy.

PILOT CASTINGS: Jeff Eastin Drama Adds One



Manny Montana (The Chicago Code) has been cast in USA Network’s untitled drama pilot from White Collar creator Jeff Eastin. The project, from Fox TV Studios, follows four agents from various federal and local agencies (DEA, FBI, LAPD) who live at a former ganglord’s mansion-turned-safe house for undercover agents in Southern California. Montana, repped by SDB Partners and Trademark Talent, will play one of them, an undercover FBI agent.





In other pilot casting news, Azie Tesfai and Jonathan Del Arco have landed recurring roles in Lifetime’s drama pilot American Housewife starring Melanie Griffith as a seemingly perfect housewife. Tesfai, repped by SDB and Schachter Entertainment, will play her Somali adopted daughter; Del Arco, repped by SDB and Kyle Fritz Management, will play her gay neighbor.

TV Castings: Lifetime’s ‘Client List’



Rebecca Field (ABC’s October Road) has joined Lifetime’s upcoming drama series The Client List as a series regular. Based on the network’s 2010 original movie, the series stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as Riley, a Texas housewife who, after being deserted by her husband, ends up running a massage parlor. Field, repped by Greene & Associates, will play Lacey, Riley’s best friend since high school.

Naturi Naughton Joins Lifetime’s ‘Client List’



XCLUSIVE: The Playboy Club co-star Naturi Naughton has joined the cast of Lifetime’s upcoming drama series The Client List as a series regular. Based on the network’s 2010 original movie, the Sony TV-produced series stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as Riley, a Texas housewife who, after being deserted by her husband, ends up running a massage parlor, The Rub, which offers more than back rub. Naughton will play a new character, Kendra, a beautiful, hard-working masseuse at the parlor. Actress-singer Naughton, who co-starred in the 2009 feature remake of Fame, played Black bunny Brenda on NBC’s short-lived Playboy Club.

TV CASTINGS: Elisabeth Rohm Joins ‘Client List’



Law & Order alumna Elisabeth Rohm has joined Lifetime’s new drama series The Client List in a recurring role. Based on the network’s 2010 original movie, the series stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as Riley, a Texas housewife who, after being deserted by her husband, ends up running a massage parlor which serves as a front for a call girl service. Rohm, repped by Buchwald/Fortitude and Luber/Roklin, will play Riley’s nemesis, Taylor, a rich and judgmental Texas socialite.

Grant Bowler Cast As The Lead In New Syfy Series ‘Defiance’



EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that Ugly Betty and True Blood alum Grant Bowler has been tapped as the lead in Syfy’s new original series Defiance. The project is a live-action drama, written/executive produced by Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon, which was developed concurrently with an online video game by Trion. “Grant’s charismatic charm and his depth as an actor make him the perfect anchor as we build the ensemble for this sweeping adventure series,” said Syfy’s president of original content Mark Stern.

Set on a future Earth, Defiance introduces players and viewers to a world where humans and aliens live together on a planet ravaged by decades of war and transformed by alien terra-forming machines. It centers on Jeb Nolan (Bowler), the law-keeper in a bustling frontier boomtown that is one of the new world’s few oasis of civility and inclusion. Nolan is a former Marine who fought in the alien conflict and suffered the loss of his wife and child in the war. The trauma transformed him into a lone wanderer in the wilds of this new and dangerous world. Defiance seems to be blending Western and alien themes, something that last year’s feature Cowboys & Aliens attempted to do, but the series is set in the future. New Zealander Bowler is best known for his recurring roles as Vanessa Williams’ squeeze on Ugly Betty, as werewolf Cooter on True Blood and as Capt. Gault on Lost. Scott Stewart (Legion) is directing the series, which is slated to begin production April 2012 in Toronto. Universal Cable Prods is producing.

Daniel Sunjata To Star In USA Network’s Jeff Eastin Pilot



EXCLUSIVE: Rescue Me alum Daniel Sunjata is set for a starring role in USA Network’s untitled drama pilot from White Collar creator Jeff Eastin. The project, from Fox TV Studios, follows four agents from various federal and local agencies (DEA, FBI, LAPD) who live at a former ganglord’s mansion-turned-safe house for undercover agents in Southern California. Sunjata will play Paul Briggs, an atypical FBI agent with a legendary past who has traded in his suit and tie for a more zen existence. He is the senior agent in a house full of undercover agents. Sunjata, best known for his role as Franco Rivera on FX’s firefighter drama Rescue Me, also did a major arc on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. The actor, repped by UTA, Principal and Cornerstone, co-stars in the Katherine Heigl feature comedy One For The Money, which opens next week, and will also be seen in thriller Gone and The Dark Knight Rises.

Paula Malcomson Cast As Female Lead In Showtime’s ‘Ray Donovan’ Drama Pilot



EXCLUSIVE: Deadwood and Caprica alumna Paula Malcomson has landed the female lead opposite Liev Schreiber in Showtime’s drama pilot Ray Donovan. Created and executive produced by Southland creator Ann Biderman, executive produced by Mark Gordon and Bryan Zuriff and to be directed by Allen Coulter, the Showtime-produced project takes a novelistic look at contemporary Los Angeles. A dark family drama with comedic undertones, the show centers on Ray (Schreiber), a professional “fixer” for LA’s rich and famous, the go-to guy in Hollywood who deftly solves the highly confidential problems of the city’s most intriguing personalities but can’t quite escape the damage in his own troubled family. Malcomson will play Ray’s wife Abby, a Boston tough girl who is still finding it hard to assimilate into the fast lane of Hollywood. Malcomson, whose series credits also include Sons Of Anarchy, ER and John From Cincinnati, will play Katniss’ (Jennifer Lawrence) mother in the Hunger Games movie franchise. She is with UTA and Seven Summits’ Sarah Jackson.

Eddie Marsan & Dash Mihok To Co-Star In Showtime’s ‘Ray Donovan’ Drama Pilot



EXCLUSIVE: Eddie Marsan and Dash Mihok are set to co-star opposite Liev Schreiber in Showtime’s drama pilot Ray Donovan. Created and executive produced by Southland creator Ann Biderman, executive produced by Mark Gordon and Bryan Zuriff and to be directed by Allen Coulter, the Showtime-produced project takes a novelistic look at contemporary Los Angeles. A dark family drama with comedic undertones, the show centers on Ray (Schreiber), a professional “fixer” for LA’s rich and famous who can make anyone’s problems disappear, except the ones created by his own family. Paradigm-repped Marsan will play Ray’s brother Terry, a skilled former boxer who despite his Parkinson’s diagnosis hasn’t lost his fighting spirit and continues to train others in his gym. Mihok, repped by Gersh and Untitled, will play Bunchy, Ray Donovan’s younger brother — a troubled alcoholic who is haunted after being sexually abused and continues to struggle with sobriety despite the help of his two brothers. In addition to Schreiber, Marsan and Mihok join recently cast Paula Malcolmson. British actor Marsan co-stars in the Sherlock Holmes movie franchise and was also recently seen in War Horse. His upcoming movies include Jack The Giant Killer and Snow White And The Huntsman. Mihok, who recently recurred on NBC’s Prime Suspect, will next be seen in David O’Russell’s The Silver Linings Playbook.

Jennifer Finnigan Joins David E. Kelley TNT Pilot



EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Finnigan is the first cast member set in David E. Kelley’s TNT medical drama pilot Chelsea General. Based on CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s upcoming novel Monday Mornings, the project follows the lives of five surgeons as they push the limits of their abilities and confront their personal and professional failings. Finnigan will play one of them, Dr. Tina Ridgeway, a neurosurgeon who has a fling with a fellow neurosurgeon. Kelley and Gupta, who is a practicing neurosurgeon, are executive producing the pilot; Kelley’s frequent collaborator Bill D’Elia is set to direct. This marks Crossing Jordan alumna Finnigan’s return to drama after a string of comedy series, most recently ABC’s Better With You.

Star cast in Chelsea General




Former Battlestar Galactica star Jamie Bamber has landed a lead role in David E. Kelley’s TNT medical drama pilot Chelsea General. Based on CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta’s upcoming novel Monday Mornings, the project follows the lives of five surgeons as they push the limits of their abilities and confront their personal and professional failings. Bamber will play one of them, Tyler Wilson, a supernova vascular neurosurgeon who has a fling with a fellow neurosurgeon (Jennifer Finnigan). Kelley and Gupta, who is a practicing neurosurgeon, are executive producing the pilot; Kelley’s frequent collaborator Bill D’Elia is set to direct.