Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

There are some interesting news items to share with all of you, including a few little spoilers here and there:

TELEVISION

Relative newcomer actor Daniel Buran (who has appeared in episodes of CSI: NY, Criminal Minds and Southland) will be seen in roughly 7 episodes of True Blood, playing Raoul, the werewolf pack master of Shreveport and Alcide’s (Joe Manganiello) boss. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Legendary actor Peter Fonda will appear on CSI: NY as an ex-partner of Det. Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) named William Hunt, who will reconnect with Mac after a thug they once put away is released from prison. Even worse, this so-called reformed criminal now has a vendetta against Fonda’s character. The two-part episodes are expected to air in late April. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

Ready for the time warp? The CW is going to reair the very first hour of Smallville on April 8 at 8 PM. The first episode of this long-running series originally aired on October 16, 2001. A repeat of Supernatural will be aired that night with new episodes of both shows airing the next week. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

DIGITAL SERIES NEWS

Tahmot Penikett (Battlestar Galactica and Dollhouse) has joined the cast of the Warner Bros. digital series Mortal Kombat. He will play police officer Lieutenant Stryker. Other cast members include Michael Jai White as Jax, Jeri Ryan as Sonya and Darren Shahlavi as Kano. White and Ryan are reprising their roles from last year’s unofficial Mortal Kombat: Rebirth short. (IGN)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four) and Mike Colter (The Good Wife) have joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot called Ringer, which is about Bridget Cafferty (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a troubled young woman who, while on the run from the mob, hides out by inhabiting the life of her wealthy twin sister, Siobhan Marx, until she learns that her twin’s life has a bounty on it as well. Gruffudd will play Siobhan’s husband Andrew Marx while Colter will play Malcolm Howard, Bridget’s AA sponsor. Nestor Carbonell (Lost) also stars. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Max Greenfield (Veronica Mars) has joined the Zooey Deschanel-led FOX comedy pilot known as Chicks and Dicks. The ensemble comedy is about the sexual politics of men and women and centers on Jessica (Deschanel), an optimistic but unlucky-in-love elementary school teacher who, after her most recent break-up, moves out of her apartment with her ex and moves in with 3 juvenile guys. (Deadline)

Actress Annie Wersching (24) will alongside actress Scottie Thompson (NCIS and Trauma) in the ABC drama pilot Partners, which centers on two female police detectives, Mattie (Thompson) and Jess (Wersching), who are fiercely loyal to one another since they’re also secretly half-sisters. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Dakota Fanning and Ryan Donowho are to star in the upcoming thriller movie Mississippi Wild. Donowho will play a teen who has to go on the run with his girlfriend (Fanning) after stealing diamonds that belong to a local gangster. Robert Duvall, Mickey Rourke and Forest Whitaker are in talks to join the cast. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Daniel Radcliffe is attached to star in the independent drama movie The Amateur Photographer, which is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Monger. The 1970-set tale follows a young man who discovers his artistic calling after being drafted by the denizens of a sleepy little New England mill town to serve as photographer of their most intimate moments. (Variety)

Q&A SECTION (with Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Question: Any new missions coming up on Chuck? — Frankie

NATALIE: Much to the chagrin of Chuck and Sarah, Casey is going to be enticed away from Team Intersect by Bentley (Robin Givens), General Beckman’s frenemy. “She presents him with things he knows are true: This has been your longest assignment; your team doesn’t need you anymore,” Givens tells us. “You were the best sharpshooter and now you’re bartending; you’re doing paperwork. So she presents him with an offer that he can’t say no to.” Two of his new team members include past Gretas Stacy Keibler and Isaiah Mustafa, whose real names will be revealed.

Question: I’m still reeling from the Castle kiss this many weeks later. Tell me there’s more where that came from! — Sharon

ADAM: While I can’t promise another liplock, I can tell you that in next week’s episode, Castle and Beckett will be locked in a confined space with one another. Twice. In related (and perhaps squeal-inducing) news, that same episode, the first of an intense two-parter, finds Beckett wondering if she should be with a man who isn’t always out healing Third World countries.

Question: Is there still hope for Michael and Nikita? — Amber

NATALIE: As if the Mikita fans hadn’t fully recovered from Ryan and Nikita’s kiss, now the “other man” in Nikita’s Division-hating life, Owen, is set to return. Of course, he’ll clash with Michael, and not just over black boxes. Do I sense a little jealousy from Michael? Short answer: Duh.

Question: So happy that Justified is back. What’s coming up? —Brett

ADAM: Remember Loretta, the young girl Raylan rescued from the pedophile in the premiere? You’ll be seeing a lot of her, as executive producer Graham Yost calls her the “heart of the season.” While Raylan is busy trying to keep her safe, look for Mags to play adoptive mama, and perhaps accidentally put her even further in harm’s way. “She does have a real soft spot for Loretta because she’s the mother of three boys and was the only woman in the household for many years,” Yost says. “You’ll see the depth of that bond from Mags’ point of view and what transpires because of that. There are unforeseen consequences.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Quite a bit of interesting news to share with all of you so let’s get right into it all:

TELEVISION

Actor Scott Michael Foster (Cappie on Greek) will be joining Parenthood for a multi-episode arc as Gary, the new older man in Amber’s (Mae Whitman) life. The two meet when she gets a job at her Aunt Julia’s law firm, where he’s already working as valet captain. He has been booked for two episodes (so far), which should air in late April. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Australian actor Robert Taylor (The Matrix) has landed the lead role of Walt Longmire in the A&E drama pilot called Longmire. The pilot is about the charismatic, dedicated and unflappable sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Ashley Madekwe (The Beautiful Life) is the first to join the cast of the ABC drama pilot called Revenge, about Emily Thorne, a mysterious young woman who comes to the Hamptons to exact revenge on the people who destroyed her family. She will play Ashley Davenport, Emily’s stylish and confident friend who works for the people who wronged her. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica and Law & Order: UK) has landed a lead role in the Ron Moore NBC pilot called 17th Precinct, which is an ensemble cop drama with a sci-fi spin set in a fictional town where magic and supernatural elements rule over science. Bamber will play Caolan, an extremely focused crime scene detective. Stockard Channing is also part of the cast. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

WEB SERIES NEWS

Web series pioneer/Actress Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog and Buffy) is going from a fictional role-playing game to a real one. The creator of the online series The Guild is set to launch a new web series inspired by the BioWare game Dragon Age called Dragon Age: Redemption. The six-part series will have its premiere this summer after the release of the game sequel Dragon Age II. In the series, Day will have a featured role as an Elvish assassin who forms an uneasy alliance with others to capture a dangerous rogue mage. Day will present the trailer for the new Redemption series Wednesday on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. BioWare will launch the Dragon Age II demo Feb. 22 on Xbox 360, PlayStation3 and PC, followed by the game’s official release to stores March 8. (The Hollywood Reporter)

CONDOLENCES

Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, who served as the model for Lois Lane, passed away. She was 93. (The Hollywood Reporter and TV Guide)

Veteran screen and voice actor Kenneth Mars, best known for his work in the Mel Brooks movies The Producers and Young Frankenstein, passed away over the weekend. He was 75. (The LA Times)

ME: Rest in Peace, Ms. Siegel and Mr. Mars. Condolences to their families, friends and fans.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Eddie Izzard will lend his voice to the animated sequel Cars 2. He will play Miles Axelrod, an oil tycoon-turned-environmentalist who sold off his billions, converted himself to run on electricity and has now set out to find alternative fuels. The voice cast includes Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Michael Keaton and Jenifer Lewis, as well as John Turturro, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Jason Isaacs, Thomas Kretschmann, Joe Mantegna and Peter Jacobson. (Dark Horizons and the trades)

Actor Wentworth Miller (Prison Break) is to star in the independent dramedy called Analog that follows an introverted genius who tries to find a love connection in an increasingly digital world. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Australian actress Lian Lunson is set to make her debut dramatic feature in the contemporary fable called The Boom Boom Room, which tells the story of a young woman (Ashley Greene from the Twilight franchise) who sets out on a journey to learn the truth about her family. She soon comes upon a pair of old vaudeville stars (Christopher Walken and Shirley MacLaine) who transform her life. (Screen Daily and Dark Horizons)

Another Australian actress – Robin McLeavy – has been cast in the upcoming movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which stars Broadway actor Benjamin Walker and Dominic Cooper. McLeavy will play the role of Mary Todd, Lincoln’s love interest and eventual wife, in the film. The story kicks off with the revelation that Lincoln’s mother was killed by a supernatural creature, which fueled his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers. (Latino Review and First Showing)

Harry Potter actress Emma Watson has signed on for a lead role in upcoming movie The Perks of Being A Wallflower, which stars Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief). They will play each other’s first loves. (Dark Horizons)

Looks like Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter are being lined up to join the film adaptation of the 1960’s TV series Dark Shadows. The cast already includes Johnny Depp, Eva Green and Jackie Earle Haley. Pfeiffer is expected to play Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the reclusive matriarch of the Collins clan and owner of Collinwood, the mansion where the supernatural saga unfolds. Carter could play Dr. Julia Hoffman, a specialist in psychology and rare blood disorders who moves into Collinwood. This casting has not been confirmed yet, though. (Deadline and First Showing)

Q&A SECTION (with Kristin from E! Entertainment Online)

Question: Felicia: I’m loving Caroline on The Vampire Diaries. What’s coming up for her?

Kristin: By now you’ve probably seen the photo of Caroline up on stage with a mic preparing to rock out. But did you know that Candice Accola is a legit singer? She even recorded with Tommy Lee once! No need to dub a different voice over Candice’s, and we can’t wait to hear her pipes this week.

Question: Kelly in Philadelphia: Is there anything fans of our Olivia and Peter to look forward to on Fringe?

Kristin: Oh, yes. For one thing, executive producer J.H. Wyman says that when Olivia finds out that Fauxlivia is pregnant, “It will not unfold in a way that I think is traditional…I think that people should be prepared for that.” And for another thing, our Olivia will soon learn that Peter has been assassinating shape shifters and why. According to Wyman, “Peter let go of a certain amount of control in his life to be a part of this family…and then realized he’s in the nucleus of this entire thing that’s happening. He doesn’t have any answers, and this season was always going to be a season about self-actualization for a lot of the characters. So this is the beginning of those steps.” If you ask us, the reason Peter’s getting all proactive is to protect the family he’s established with Walter, Olivia, et al., and we love it!

Question: Leigh: Nothing good can come from Jonathan Gilbert being around. What’s up with his return on The Vampire Diaries?

Kristin: One thing is for sure: he’ll definitely be complicating Jeremy’s life. “He’s family. He knows more about my father than I know,” Steven R. McQueen tells us. “So I’m torn in two directions. One: that I’m still curious about my family and I want to know more about my father. But also I’m pissed off at him because he complicated my life in so many ways.” Steven also told us that his character will be all up in everyone’s business. “I think Jeremy is pissing everyone off,” he laughs. “He comes from this dark place, and it’s interesting to see that change in Jeremy.” Ominous, no?

Question: LucPoz88 (via Twitter): Brothers & Sisters!

Kristin: Producers are now casting for actors to play Nora (Sally Field), William (Tom Skeritt) and Brody (Beau Bridges) in flashback. Nora and Brody were teenagers as this love triangle got underway—but William was 30. Kinda skeevy, no?

That’s it. Enjoy!

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