Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Victor Garber (Alias) and Sonya Walger (Common Law and Lost) have joined the cast of the upcoming Starz drama Power that follows James St. Patrick, nicknamed “Ghost” (Omari Hardwick), the owner of a popular New York City nightclub, who is a major player in one of the city’s biggest illegal drug networks. Garber will recur as Simon Stern, a renowned club owner and events guru who has the exact successful, legitimate lifestyle Ghost covets. Walger will play Simon’s wife Madeline Stern. (TV By the Numbers)

Country singer-actor Dwight Yoakam will have a recurring role in the CBS summer series Under the Dome, playing Lyle Chumley, who runs the Chester’s Mill’s barbershop. Under the Dome will return on June 30. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Maggie Q (Nikita and the upcoming box office film Divergent) has joined the cast of the untitled Kevin Williamson-CBS drama pilot that revolves around two detectives, Beth (Maggie Q) and Jack (Dylan McDermott from Hostages and American Horror Story), who handle stalking incidents for the Threat Assessment Unit of the LAPD. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Actor Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope) will star opposite Ron Perlman – and the recently announced Alona Tal and Julian Morris – in the Amazon drama pilot Hand Of God that centers on the powerful Judge Harris Pernell (Perlman), a hard-living, law-bending married man with a high-end call girl on the side who has a religious awakening and starts having visions and hearing voices through his ventilator-bound son that could be God speaking to him. Dillahunt will play KD, a young man who went looking for religion to cure his raging temper. He thinks he’s found God, but he is still a sociopath, and his temper is still raging. Pernell is a godsend for KD, as he gives him an intense singular focus, and an outlet for his violent tendencies. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Hot Trailer: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Hot Trailer: Disney’s Maleficent

First Trailer: The Giver

Full Theatrical Trailer: Earth to Echo

Q&A SECTION (with Natalie Abrams at TV Guide and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: I’m so jealous you got to watch Orphan Black already! Please scoop me! — Melissa

Natalie: You may have heard a new clone will be introduced, but the bigger news is that a believed-dead character will make a shocking return. Elsewhere, Sarah will call on an unlikely ally in her quest to get her daughter back

Question: Can’t wait for more Deathstroke on Arrow. What can you tease? — Glenda

Natalie: Now that Slade’s made his intentions known, Oliver will worry that his relationship with Sara is putting her in greater danger. Although they’re able to overcome that speed bump for now, the couple could be parting ways (in more ways than one) down the line. “Where they are right now is not where they will end up by the end of the year,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim teases.

Question: I’m so excited for Royal Pains to come back! What scoop do you have about Season 6? — Ron

Natalie: Divya will be in full mommy mode when the show returns, picking up several months after the birth of her baby. (She’ll even battle a new patient to land the perfect nanny!) But don’t worry: The Season 6 premiere will flash back to her giving birth. And suffice it to say, how — and when — she goes into labor will be surprising.

Question: Any scoop on the Switched at Birth finale? — Chloe

Natalie: It’s a doozy, that’s for sure! The hour is action-packed, literally, with one character getting beat up, another getting physically threatened and a duo — you’ll be squealing! — getting down and dirty.

Question: I’ve heard that Ariel will be back on Once Upon a Time. How will she be involved in the plot? —Ilenia

Ausiello: Without divulging the exact storyline, Colin O’Donoghue says that JoAnna Garcia Swisher’s encore as the Little Mermaid means “You’ll get to see Hook and Ariel interact a bit, which I think will be fun. They have a ‘tricky’ sort of relationship, and I think people will like it.”

Question: I’d love some scoop on what’s coming up for Sam on Supernatural. —Frances

Ausiello: Gadreel’s little stint inside Sam? “We’re not done talking about it,” promises exec producer Jeremy Carver. “There are more layers to it that are going to take a little while for even Sam to understand.” BONUS SCOOP: The stolen grace that Castiel used to become an angel again “is an issue which will not go undealt with,” Carver teases.

Question: I know Louis is Suits‘ love-to-hate character, but is there any chance we’ll learn more about him this season? —Vicki

Ausiello: You shall, though primarily through his ever-scheming actions versus any exposition drop or flashbacks. “Louis is going to be forced to make a lot of tough choices, and [through that] we’re going to learn a tremendous amount about him,” exec producer Aaron Korsh says. “But I don’t know that we’re going to learn a tremendous amount of facts about Louis’ past.”

Question: Wondering if you have any Arrow scoop — especially Olicity-related? —Vanessa

Ausiello: The spark between the partners will “keep popping up,” promises EP Marc Guggenheim. “You haven’t seen the last of ‘Olicity’ moments, for sure. But at the same time, we don’t try to cram them in.” As for the Gal Friday herself, the EP teases that we’ll learn more about her parents in future episodes, with additional back-story coming in Season 3. BONUS SCOOP: Before season’s end, the number of people who know about Oliver’s secret “will go up,” Guggenheim reveals.

Question: I’m loving Reign right now, but I need to know if there’s any hope for us “Mash” fans. —Cora

Ausiello: Never give up hope, Cora. Mary may be married to Francis, but Lola’s extramarital bun in the oven isn’t going to make for wedded bliss. “As long as that secret exists, Mary is going to be lying to her husband,” Anna Popplewell tells TVLine. “It’s not just Lola’s future that’s at stake, but also Mary’s future with Francis.” As for Mary’s future with Bash, Popplewell tells us, “There’s something very exciting that happens in the next few episodes that will alter the balance of that situation.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for yesterday and today:

TELEVISION

Actress Nazanin Boniadi, who plays Fara Sherazi on Homeland, has been promoted to series regular for the show’s upcoming 4th season. (The Deadline Team)

Actress Franka Potente (American Horror Story: Asylum and Copper) has joined the cast of the FX drama The Bridge. She will play Eleanor Schrock, a shunned Mennonite. (Liz Raftery at TV Guide)

Actor Michael A. Goorjian (Party of Five) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Covert Affairs, playing Borz Altan, a former U.S. soldier who has become disillusioned with the American Dream. Covert Affairs will be back for its 5th season sometime this summer on the USA Network. (Joyce Eng at TV Guide)

Actress Necar Zadegan (Rake, The Event and Emily Owens, M.D.). has joined the cast of the upcoming 13-episode Bravo drama Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce that stars Lisa Edelstein (House) in the lead role. The series follows Abby (Edelstein), a self-help book author who hides the fact that she’s separated from her husband as she starts to navigate her life as a single woman in her early 40s in Los Angeles. She finds herself seeking advice from her divorced friends instead of her married ones, which leads to some unexpected and life-changing experiences. Zadegan will play a divorce attorney at Lyla’s (Janeane Garofalo) firm who is fearless and speaks her mind, sometimes embellishing in hyperbole. She wants to be Abby’s attorney and has a very nontraditional type of marriage herself. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Odette Annable (House) has joined the cast of the upcoming ABC summer series Astronaut Wives Club that is based on the Lily Koppel novel. The series tells the real story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history during the height of the space race. Annable will play Trudy Cooper, the youngest of the Astro-wives and a licensed pilot herself. A tomboy with aspirations of her own, her forward thinking challenges not just her husband but the other wives. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Grammy winner Macy Gray has joined the cast of the FOX drama series Empire that will be set in the world of a hip-hop empire featuring original and current music. Gray will have the recurring role of Tasha, who is having an affair with a much younger man over whom she exercises considerable influence and control. The cast of Empire includes Terrence Howard, Gabourey Sidibe, Taraji P. Henson. (Tony Maglio at The Wrap)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actress Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Spartacus: War Of The Damned and Arrow) has landed the female lead in the History Channel’s upcoming mini-series Texas Rising, which will detail the Texas Revolution against Mexico and the rise of the legendary Texas Rangers. She will play Emily West, a mythic historical figure, later dubbed ‘the Yellow Rose of Texas,’ who gets caught in a love triangle between Houston (Bill Paxton) and Santa Ana (Oliver Martinez). (The Deadline Team)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace) has joined the cast of the untitled CBS terrorism drama (the working title is Red Zone) that centers on a retired CIA operative-turned-high school football coach who is pulled back into action after a terrorist event rocks Washington, D.C., and he’s forced to investigate closer to home, where the next generation of terrorists are being bred. LaPaglia will star as Coach Holden Weller, the coach/athletic director in Virginia whose commitment to his job nearly cost him his family. Also, actress Kim Dickens (Friday Night Lights) has joined the cast of this new pilot, playing Helen Weller, Holden’s confident and strong wife, a former CIA shrink who teaches psychology at the same high school as her husband. Actor Kevin Rahm (Mad Men) and Samantha Mathis (Under The Dome) will play husband and wife Paul and Olivia Jordan, the parents of Jake (Graham Rogers from Revolution), the second-string QB on Holden’s team and a friend of the Wellers’ daughter Laney. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter and The Deadline Team)

Actor Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama and the short-lived TV series The Firm) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot The Mysteries of Laura where he will star opposite Debra Messing (Will & Grace and Smash). The pilot follows the life and relationships of Laura Diamond (Messing), a female homicide detective who can handle murderous criminals, but not her hell-raising twin children. Lucas will play Jake, a clever cop with keen instincts who winds up being captain in the same precinct as his soon-to-be ex-wife, Laura. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Britne Oldford (Ravenswood) has joined the cast of the untitled ABC drama pilot that will be set in New York, revolving around the love and rivalry between two equally matched, powerful socialites: Philip Fitzgerald Julien (Rufus Sewell) and Margot Worth Cole (Melissa George is yet to be cast) — who play out their obsessive attraction and seduction of each other through their manipulation of others. Oldford will play Cecelia, the No. 1 fashion model/cover girl in the world who is publicly, and in truth, a virgin, yet in every photo shoot is portrayed as sexual and unattainable. She’s engaged to marry Anderson Cole, who’s three decades older. (The Deadline Team)

Actress Ivonne Coll (Switched at Birth and Teen Wolf) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot Jane The Virgin that centers on Jane (relative newcomer Gina Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated. Coll will play Alba, Jane’s 60-ish doting grandmother who teaches Jane at an early age the importance of staying pure until marriage. We later learn that Alba has been harboring a lifelong secret. (The Deadline Team)

Actress Sheila Vand (Argo) will star opposite Katherine Heigl in the NBC drama pilot State Of Affairs where the latter will play Charleston Whitney Tucker, a key CIA attaché who counsels the president on high-stakes incidents around the world. Vand will play Grace Hough, a tough CIA analyst on the President’s daily briefing team, who keeps her private life to herself. Also, actor Adam Kaufman (Without a Trace) will star in this pilot, playing Lucas Wright, a CIA analyst on the President’s daily briefing team. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Ashton Holmes (Nikita and Revenge) will star opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the untitled CBS medical drama pilot that revolves around quadruplets — three brothers and a sister — who grew up on a reality show. Curtis will play their mother, Caroline Lang, a dynamic and distinguished physician who now runs a hospital. Holmes will play Gary, possibly the most brilliant of the Lang quadruplets, who left medical school to travel the world and find himself before a near-death experience impels him to head back Stateside to the loved ones he left behind. When he learns that his brother Jonathan is now deeply involved with Jennifer, the love of his life, Gary realizes how much he may have lost when he left the U.S. (The Deadline Team)

Actress Katharine McPhee (Smash) has joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot Scorpion that centers on Walter (Elyes Gabel from Body of Proof), an eccentric genius and his international network of super-geniuses who form the last line of defense against the complex threats of the modern age. McPhee will play Paige, a working-class hero and diner waitress who understands geniuses. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Danny Huston (Magic City and X-Men Origins: Wolverine) will star opposite actress Ashley Judd in the NBC drama pilot Salvation, which focuses on mega-church pastor Daniel Strickland who suddenly dies, leaving his loyal wife, Jennifer Strickland (Judd), to rally to keep their family together and save the church. Huston will play Caleb, the lead pastor at a rival mega-church. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Ben Barnes (The Chronicles Of Narnia franchise) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot Exposed that centers on Anna (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), an investigative journalist who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, including making questionable alliances. Barnes will play Stoya, a mysterious man who develops an intimate relationship with Anna. He claims to be a pilot but is in fact an NSA whistleblower who is being hunted by the U.S. government because he knows too much. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Daniel Henney (X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Revolution) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot Agatha that centers on former convict-turned-big-city criminologist Agatha (Bojana Novakovic from Rake), who is brought in to help local police crack a case involving a perplexing disappearance. Henney will play Rey, Agatha’s attentive, doting and loving fiancé. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Bryce Johnson (Pretty Little Liars and Popular) has joined The CW spin-off pilot Supernatural: Bloodlines that is about the various mafia-esque monster families that, unknowingly to humans, run the underbelly of Chicago and who are being tracked by a newly minted hunter who’s trying to stop them and rid Chicago of anything or anyone supernatural. There are no details on what part Johnson will play, but the cast already includes other Pretty Little Liars alums Nathaniel Buzolic and Sean Faris. (Jake Perlman at Entertainment Weekly)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Actress Alona Tal (Veronica Mars and Burn Notice) and actor Julian Morris (Once Upon a Time and Pretty Little Liars) have joined the cast of the Amazon Studios online series Hand Of God that centers on the powerful Judge Harris Pernell (Ron Perlman from Sons of Anarchy and the original Beauty and the Beast), a hard-living, law-bending married man with a high-end call girl on the side who has a religious awakening and starts having visions and hearing voices through his ventilator-bound son that could be God speaking to him. Tal will play Pernell’s daughter-in-law Jocelyn while Morris will play Paul Dobson, an actor-turned-preacher whose affinity for quick money and shortcuts have gotten him in trouble in the past. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Bryan Greenberg (How To Make It In America) will star alongside Bruce Willis and Thomas Jane in the movie Vice set at a futuristic resort where the rich can live out their darkest fantasies and the lifelike staff are actually synthetic beings. Greenberg plays Evan, an extremely intelligent hipster nerd with connections in the hacking community. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Ryan Eggold (The Blacklist) will appear alongside Russell Crow, Aaron Paul and Amanda Seyfried in the upcoming film Fathers And Daughters. Eggold will John, a Wall Street type who had a one-nighter with Katie (Seyfried); but when they meet randomly in a restaurant a year later, John is hurt that she doesn’t remember him and gets into a fight with Cameron (Paul) when the guy tries to defend her honor. (The Deadline Team)

Here are the top 10 box office movies for this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Mr. Peabody & Sherman – 21.8 million
2. 300: Rise of an Empire – 19.2 million
3. Need for Speed – 17.8 million
4. Non-Stop – 10.6 million
5. Tyler Perry’s The Single Mom’s Club – 8.1 million
6. The LEGO Movie – 7.7 million
7. Son of God – 5.5 million
8. The Grand Budapest Hotel – 3.6 million
9. Frozen – 2.1 million
10. The Monuments Men – 2.1 million

NOTE: The Veronica Mars movie earned 1,988,351 at the box office, coming in 11th place and it is only playing in 265 theatres. I would say that’s not too shabby!!

Newcomer Levi Miller has landed the coveted role of Peter Pan in the upcoming film Pan that will star Hugh Jackman as the evil pirate Blackbeard. (Variety)

Q&A SECTION (with TV Scoop Team at E! Online)

Question: Will we see more Dean-Abaddon scenes in S9 or even S10 of Supernatural? – @gatorpez

TV Scoop Team: Supernatural fans can definitely took forward to more scenes between the battling duo, as Jensen Ackles teases, “I will say that I do know that that will come to a head. There will be a blow out there, and Dean will get the fight that he’s been looking for.”

Question: I’m so worried about the Psych finale being called “The Breakup!” Can you make me feel any better about my favorite show ending? – Maya

TV Scoop Team: Despite the ominous title, the finale will be perfect. Tears will be shed, yes, but we can promise you that they’re tears with a glorious happy ending that will fill even the bitterest of hearts with the sweet taste of donuts, spiced flax-seed, and thorough satisfaction. All your favorite characters get their moment to shine, including the infamous Dobson, who we finally get to meet. All will be (mostly) well in Psych-land, and we’re pretty sure you won’t have much more to ask for by the time the doors close on Santa Barbara (murder capital of the world) for good – or at least, for now.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland and Touched by an Angel) will appear in two upcoming episodes of the new Hallmark Channel series Signed, Sealed, Delivered that is set to debut on April 20. The series follows a team of four postal detectives who specialize in investigating misdirected letters and delivering them when they are needed most. Bertinelli will play the team’s Mailroom Supervisor, a revolving role featuring TV icons. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Boris Kodjoe (the short-lived Undercovers) will guest star in an upcoming summer episode of Unforgettable, playing Secret Service Agent Benjamin Hernandez, who informs the Major Case team that he and his partner, Agent Briggs, are taking over a murder case because of its connection to a federal counterfeit case they’ve been working on called “Mata Hari.” (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot Babylon Fields that is about a town’s residents who come back from the dead. Merkerson will play Pearl Montoya, Janine’s (series lead Meagan Good) stepmother. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Oded Fehr (The Mummy franchise and Covert Affairs) has joined the cast of the untitled ABC Richard LaGravenese drama pilot that is set in New York, revolving around the love and rivalry between two equally matched, powerful socialites, Philip Fitzgerald Julien (Rufus Sewell) and Margot Worth Cole, who play out their obsessive attraction and seduction of each other through their manipulation of others. Fehr will play Anderson Cole, Margot’s ex-husband and one of the Forbes 500 whose power has resulted in expanding a multimillion-dollar company into a multibillion-dollar corporation. (The Deadline Team)

Actor David Morse (Treme and The Green Mile) and actress Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda and After Earth) have joined the cast of the untitled CBS Wall Street drama pilot that already includes Charlie Cox (Boardwalk Empire) and Maggie Grace (Lost) as part of the cast. The pilot centers on Jackson (Cox), a smart, sophisticated, hedge fund trader. Morse will play Conklin, a powerful and authoritative hedge fund genius, worth billions himself and always planning his next move to consolidate his power and wealth. Okonedo will play Bryce, an Assistant Attorney General who’s deeply committed to her work of heading a task force investigating Wall Street. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actors Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do and Beauty And the Beast) and Niall Matter (Eureka and Primeval: New World) have joined the cast of the TNT drama pilot Guilt By Association that centers on Rachel Knight (Julia Stiles), a talented, unorthodox and impulsive Deputy DA in the LA County District Attorney’s office who sometimes operates outside the law in order to uphold it. Scott will play Eric Northup, the Head Deputy of the Special Trials Unit while Matter will play Lt. Graden Hales, a police lieutenant and Detective Bailey Keller’s (Elisabeth Röhm) boss. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Joe Morton (Scandal and Eureka) has joined the cast of the TNT drama pilot Proof, which centers on a skeptical, hard-science, female surgeon, Katherine (Jennifer Beals from Flashdance and The Chicago Code), who has been struggling with family issues, including a tragic death. She is persuaded to investigate cases of reincarnation, out-of-body experiences, hauntings — all of it looking for verifiable proof to answer one of life’s greatest questions: Is death truly the end, or is there something else beyond? Morton will have the recurring role of Dr. Charles Russell, the serious, dry and intimidating head of Katherine’s hospital. He’s hard-pressed to control her but appreciates her abilities and commitment. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

MINI-SERIES/MADE-FOR-TV NEWS

Syfy has given a greenlight to the 6-hour mini-series event Ascension that will be set in 1963, where the U.S. government launches a covert space mission sending hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, a mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission. This event series is slated to launch in November 2014 and air through December. (The Futon Critic)

Actors Christopher McDonald (Requiem For A Dream) and Trevor Donovan (90210) have joined the cast of the History Channel mini-series Texas Rising that will detail the Texas Revolution against Mexico and the rise of the legendary Texas Rangers. McDonald will play Henry Karnes, a grizzled, tough taskmaster of the ranging company while Donovan will play Kit Acklin, a handsome, wise-ass, expert horseman whose chivalry and equestrian skills are matched only by his gun-fighting prowess. The cast already includes Bill Paxton, Brendan Fraser, Ray Liotta, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Thomas Jane, Olivier Martinez, Chad Michael Murray, Michael Rapaport and Max Thieriot. (The Deadline Team)

Actress Anne Heche (Men In Trees) will appear in the USA Network upcoming event series called Dig that centers on Peter (Jason Isaacs of Harry Potter fame), an FBI agent stationed in Jerusalem who, while investigating the murder of an archaeologist, uncovers a conspiracy 2,000 years in the making that threatens to change the course of history. Heche will play Lynn, the head of the Jerusalem FBI office and Peter’s boss. She’s also his only friend and love interest. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Chadwick Boseman Has Soul as James Brown in First ‘Get on Up’ Trailer

Q&A SECTION (with TV Scoop Team at E! Online)

Question: Please, please, please, give me deets on Teen Wolf. – Jess

TV Scoop Team: Get ready to meet Violet, she’s a pretty 16-year-old high schooler who is very unassuming…but she’s a lot tougher than you’d think.

Question: Please, please tell me Will does not end up marrying Layla on Nashville! – Vicki

TV Scoop Team: Sorry, but we mustn’t tell lies. It’s going to get even crazier for the engaged duo as Layla manages to convince Will that, in addition to getting married, they also need to have their own reality show documenting the whole process.

Question: Revenge has the best twists. How ‘bout a little tease of one? – Matt

TV Scoop Team: Margaux’s half-brother, the devious and dashing Gideon, make an appearance in the season three finale. And he’s sticking around for season four (it’s just a formality that ABC hasn’t announced one yet). But be warned: he has a dark side.

Question: I think Beauty and the Beast fans deserve a little scoop after our tireless voting in Save One Show. So let’s have it! – Jill

TV Scoop Team: That you do, Beasties. That you do. (Also: feel free to nap for an hour or ten, you earned it.) Guess who’s coming back? Cat’s sister Heather, played by Nicole Anderson! Too bad she’ll be put in serious danger as she gets caught up in Gabe’s revenge scheme against Vincent. Uh oh!

That’s it. Enjoy!

PS: Have a great weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Adrian Pasdar (Heroes and The Lying Game) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, playing Glenn Talbot, an old school member of Bruce Banner’s supporting cast. (Eric Goldman at IGN)

Looks like A&E has pulled the plug on their new thriller Those Who Kill after only two episodes. However, It looks like the cabler wants to give the show another shot with a re-launch at another time. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

CBS has renewed the following dramas: NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Person of Interest, CSI, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, Elementary and The Good Wife. However, ne word has come down yet on the new drama Intelligence and the long-running The Mentatlist. (CBS Press Release)

Actor Jorge Garcia (Once Upon a Time and Lost) has been promoted to series regular on Hawaii Five-0 for the show’s recently announced fifth season. He plays Jerry Ortega, a conspiracy theorist and former high school classmate of Detective Lt. Chin Ho Kelly (series regular Daniel Dae Kim). (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Janina Gavankar (True Blood and Arrow) has joined the cast of the NBD drama pilot The Mysteries Of Laura that follow the life and relationships of Laura Diamond (Debra Messing), a female homicide detective who can handle murderous criminals, but not her hell-raising twin children. Gavankar will play Meredith, a tightly wound and perfectly coiffed detective who sees herself as far more sophisticated than her fellow detective and rival Laura Diamond, and it annoys her to no end that Laura is the precinct’s golden child. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Maggie Grace (Lost and Californication) has landed the female lead in the currently untitled CBS Wall Street drama pilot (that includes John Cusack as one of its executive producers. The pilot centers on Jackson, a smart, sophisticated, Wall Street hedge fund trader. Grace will play Jaime, a newly hired in-house legal counsel at the hedge fund who is smart, ambitious, savvy and has a conscience. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Justin Baldoni (Everwood and Undercover Bridesmaid) has been cast in The CW drama pilot Jane The Virgin that centers on Jane (Gina Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated. Baldoni plays Rafael, a former playboy whose life is at a crossroads. When he finds out his sperm has been mistakenly used on the wrong woman, he is forced to reexamine everything. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actresses Maggie Grace (Lost) and Famke Janssen (X-Men) will reprise their roles in the next Taken sequel. (Mike Fleming, Jr. and Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Carla Gugino (Political Animals) will appear in the upcoming box office movie San Andreas where she will play the ex-wife of a Special Ops firefighter (Dwayne Johnson) who treks with him from Los Angeles to San Francisco to rescue his daughter after the Big One hits. (The Deadline Team)

Actors Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride and Psych), Jason Momoa (The Red Road and Stargate Atlantis), Drew Roy (Falling Skies and Shane Coffey (Pretty Little Liars and Perception and actress Haley Webb (Teen Wolf) will appear in the comedy/thriller Sugar Mountain that centers on two down-on-their-luck brothers who fake a disappearance in the wilderness so they’ll have a great survival story to sell. But the hoax turns out to be more real than they planned. (The Deadline Team)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Oliver Hudson and Will Chase have been promoted to series regulars on Nashville for the shows third season that is if the show gets a third season. That decision has not been made yet by ABC. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Claire Holt has left The Originals as a series regular, but she is expected to recur in the future. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Nicholas Bishop (Body of Proof) has joined the cast of Covert Affairs as a series regular, playing Ryan McQuaid, a charming Navy SEAL turned billionaire private military contractor. After McQuaid and Annie (series lead Piper Perabo) first meet in the field as uneasy allies, but their relationship will intensify, as will Annie’s fears that this enigmatic guy may have a secret agenda. Season 5 of Covert Affairs will air on the USA Network this summer. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

The History Channel has given a greenlight to its next mini-series. The 8-hour Texas Rising (which is the working title) will premiere in 2015 and will detail the Texas Revolution against Mexico and the rise of the legendary Texas Rangers. Bill Paxton will play Sam Houston, the father of Texas; and he will be joined by Brendan Fraser, Ray Liotta, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Thomas Jane, Olivier Martinez, Chad Michael Murray, Michael Rapaport and Max Thieriot. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Scott Cohen (Necessary Roughness and Gilmore Girls) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot Coercion that will revolve around the O’Connor family and their extremely intelligent son, Alex (Gavin Stenhouse), a decorated American war hero and newly minted CIA analyst who is a true patriot and loves his country and family. Unbeknownst to him, though, his father (Cohen), his mother (Hope Davis) and his sister (Margarita Levieva) are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Elyes Gabel (Game of Thrones and Body of Proof) has joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot Scorpion that will center on Walter (Gabel), an eccentric genius and his international network of super-geniuses who form the last line of defense against the complex threats of the modern age. Robert Patrick will co-star. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Rose McIver (Once Upon a Time) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot iZombie where she will play the lead role of Olivia “Liv” Moore, a med student-turned-zombie who takes a job at the coroner’s office to satisfy her insatiable hunger for brains. With each brain she consumes, she inherits that corpse’s memories; in an attempt to silence the voices in her head, she works with authorities to solve homicide cases. (Andy Swift at TV Line)

Actress Shantel VanSanten (One Tree Hill) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot The Messengers, that is about a group of strangers responsible for preventing the apocalypse after a mysterious object lands on earth. She will play a NASA scientist named Vera. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) will play the role of Tiger Lily in the upcoming box office adaptation Pan that will be set during World War II, following an orphan named Peter who is kidnapped by pirates and brought to Neverland, where he discovers he’s destined to save the land from the pirate Blackbeard. The cast already includes Garrett Hedlund and Hugh Jackman. (Justin Kroll at Variety)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line, TV Scoop Team at E! Online and Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Question: Anything on Suits? —Jeremy

Ausiello: This Thursday’s episode is a big one for Jessica (Gina Torres), who is “forced to re-engage with the woman who her husband left her for,” previews executive producer Aaron Korsh. While their interaction starts off “in a combative way,” the two women “end up coming to an understanding.” Meanwhile, “Jessica is put in a position to either have to perjure herself or not perjure herself, and that decision is juxtaposed with the conclusion of the Mike/Louis journey, dealing with Mike’s secret. They overlap with each other in an interesting way.”

Question: Do you have any spoilers on Pretty Little Liars? —Allyson

Ausiello: How about some scoop on your namesake, Allyson? Not only will Ali play a major part in next Tuesday’s season finale, but you can expect to see a lot more of her going forward. Though she’ll remain her usual secretive self — and we wouldn’t have her any other way — she’ll have less need to lurk in the shadows.

Question: I’m in need of Reign spoilers… mostly Frary! I was so happy that she picked Francis, but now what is going to happen? Will they be happy at least for a while? —Bets

Ausiello: I’ve got some good news for you, Bets: Frary will remain intact for the foreseeable future, as Bash is going to find himself preoccupied with other — far darker — problems. But that doesn’t mean Francis’ fling with Lola won’t come back to bite him. As you’ll see in Thursday’s episode, Lola is still very much hung up on Mary’s new husband. The question is: Will she act on her feelings?

Question: I’m a big Arrow fan and was wondering if you could find something out for me. Doesn’t Slade Wilson have a son named Joe? Will we get to find out what happened to him? —Heather

Ausiello: Though Joe has only been alluded to on occasion on the CW series, Manu Bennett mentions that relationship when discussing why Slade took Shado’s death so hard. “You have to remember, Slade Wilson has also got an ex-partnership and a son out in the world there somewhere. And the son’s potentially got siblings in some scenario that hasn’t yet evolved into the storyline,” he says. “People have to think about more than the layers of what is being shown in each episode. They have to find clues in the DC Comics history, to maybe even piece together more of what Slade is festering upon.”

Question: Anything on Revenge? – Barbara

TV Scoop Team: Is Emily’s cover about to be blown?! Fans will be meeting the clever and dangerous NYPD Homicide Detective Brian Hosko later this season and he is definitely onto her. And yes, you read that right: homicide is hitting the Hamptons again!

Question: Desperate for any Pretty Little Liars scoop! – Fiona

TV Scoop Team: What do a paramedic and two surgeons have in common? All three are featured in the season five premiere of Pretty Little Liars (that airs on June 10), which will find one of our beloved characters in serious danger.

Question: The Fosters continues to be the most underrated show on TV, so help spread the word by giving out some scoop! – Helen

TV Scoop Team: Wish granted. When Stef and Elena away, the kids will play. Well, more like Callie will play as she decides to throw a big party when the couple goes out of town for a relaxing weekend. As all teen movies and shows have taught us, this will not end well.

Question: Reign spoilers, please! – Dani

TV Scoop Team: to see the return of playboy Bash after Mary chose Francis over him, with Torrance Coombs teasing, “We’re going to see a little bit more of that side of him.” And in addition to Rowan, who fans will meet in Thursday’s episode, Coombs says there’s a “definite possibility” that Bash may find a lady at Court. “There’s a lot of character in the castle. There’s a lot of very attractive women, so we’ll just have to see.”

Question: Anything on Teen Wolf? – Michael

TV Scoop Team: You’ll be meeting in season four and now we’re spilling another new face you’ll be seeing: Dr. Geyer, the hospital’s new administrator who happens to be charming and intelligent, as well as handsome. Hm…new love interest for Mama McCall?!

Question: So, is Quinn joining B613 full-time on Scandal? — Tim

Natalie: Perhaps. Even though Olivia asked Jake not to hire Quinn, Scott Foley says Quinn made a compelling argument regarding her potential value to the shady Black Ops Division. “We will see Jake think about reconsidering,” he says. “[Quinn] made a lot of sense to Jake and he knows, especially because his relationship with Olivia is questionable right now, that Quinn could be a valuable asset knowing what she does about OPA.”

Question: How about some Hook scoop on Once Upon a Time for once! — Irina

Natalie: Sure thing. Hook’s missing year includes a battle with the infamous Blackbeard (Charles Mesure), who may have his eye on the Jolly Roger. “He and Captain Hook do not have a lot of love for each other,” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. “The only thing two pirates would fight over even more than a woman would be a ship.” Ruh-roh! We’ll also see an entire episode devoted to the mysterious message Hook received about retrieving Emma. I still say it’s this.

Question: Thanks for all the scoop on The Blacklist lately. Would it be wrong to ask for more? —John

Natalie: Not at all. In fact, I just scored some exclusive casting information about the March 31 episode. The Wire alum Isiah Whitlock Jr. will play a terminally ill patient who is approached by the latest criminal on The Blacklist with an offer that’s impossible to refuse. What’s one last suicide mission when you’re already dying?

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Tony-winning actress Laura Benanti will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Good Wife, playing the new fiancée of wife killer and Lockhart/Gardner client Colin Sweeney (Dylan Baker). (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Veteran actor Louis Gossett, Jr. will appear in this summer’s new CBS drama Extant that will star Halle Berry, as an astronaut trying to reconnect with her family after a year in outer space. Gossett will play Molly’s affable but undependable father, Quinn, a retired doctor living out his days in an isolated island community, out of touch with the world and estranged from his daughter. Extant will now premiere on July 9 – a week later than originally announced. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Mason Dye (Lifetime’s recent adaptation of Flowers in the Attic) will join the cast of the MTV thriller Teen Wolf, playing Garrett, a new student and lacrosse play at the high school. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Clancy Brown (Sleepy Hollow) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot Agatha, that centers on Agatha (Bojana Novakovic), a former convict-turned-big-city criminologist who is brought in to help local police crack a case involving a perplexing disappearance. The chief detective she’s been hired to help is her father, Detective Hank McAuliffe (Brown) — and they haven’t spoken in 15 years. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead (A Good Day To Die Hard) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot Exposed that centers on Anna, an investigative journalist who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, including making questionable alliances. Winstead will play the lead role. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Tom Verica (American Dreams) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot How To Get Away With Murder that centers on ambitious law students and their brilliant and mysterious criminal defense professor, Annalise Dewitt (Viola Davis), who become entangled in a murder plot that could rock their entire university and change the course of their lives. Verica will play Annalise’s husband Tom, a psychology professor who comes from a long line of academic royalty. (The Deadline Team)

Actress Kaitlin Doubleday (Catch Me If You Can) has joined the cast of the FOX drama pilot Empire that centers on Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), a charismatic, savvy music superstar who is about to take his company, Empire Entertainment, public. Doubleday will play Rhonda, the wife of Lucious’ oldest son Andre (Trai Byers), a sexy, manipulative woman who shares Andre’s Ivy League background and intends to help him scrap his way to the head of Empire. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Nora Dunn (Saturday Night Live alum) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot iZombie that centers on a med student-turned-zombie who takes a job in the coroner’s office to gain access to the brains she must reluctantly eat to maintain her humanity, but with each brain she consumes, she inherits the corpse’s memories. Dunn will play Eva Moore, mother to the lead character Olivia (a role that has yet to be cast) and a hospital administrator. (The Deadline Team)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

FOX has given a third season order to the psychological thriller The Following. (TV By The Numbers)

Actress Joanna Going (House Of Cards) will be a series regular in the DirecTV drama series Navy St., that is set against the backdrop of Navy Street, a Venice, CA-based mixed martial arts gym owned by Alvey Henderson (Frank Grillo), a former fighter who never made it big due to a drug addiction but is now sober. Going will play Christina Hyatt, Alvey’s ex wife and mother to Jay (Jonathan Tucker) and Nate (Nick Jonas). (The Deadline Team)

Actor Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas) has joined the cast of the straight-to-series CBS drama Battle Creek that follows two disparate detectives, FBI Special Agent Milton Chamberlain (Duhamel) and Battle Creek PD, Det. Russ Agnew (Dean Winters), as they labor to clean up the semi-mean streets of Battle Creek, Michigan, in the face of a complete lack of resources. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

TV TRAILERS

TV Trailer: Fox’s 24: Live Another Day

Lifetime’s Promos Beginning Of The End For Drop Dead Diva

TNT Unveils Summer Drama Premieres

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Aaron Ashmore (Warehouse 13 and Smallville) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot Agatha that centers on a former convict-turned-big-city criminologist who is brought in to help local police crack a case involving a perplexing disappearance. Ashmore will play Jimmy McAuliffe, a handsome, good-humored and good-natured guy who is a beat cop with the Philly PD and lives in the shadow of his father. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill and 666 Park Avenue) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot iZombie, based on the DC Comics title of the same name brought to the small screen by Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas. The pilot will center on Liv (a role that has yet to be cast), a medical student-turned-zombie who takes a job in the Coroner’s Office in order to gain access to the brains she must reluctantly eat so that she can maintain her humanity. However, with every brain she eats, she inherits the corpse’s memories. With the help of her medical examiner boss and a police detective, she solves homicide cases in order to quiet the disturbing voices in her head. Buckley will portray Major, Liv’s former fiancé who is trying to transition back to being her friend despite still being in love with her. He’s a former college football player-turned-environmental engineer who is extremely likable. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Malik Yoba (Alphas and Revolution) has joined the cast of the FOX drama pilot Empire that set in the world of a hip-hop empire. He will play Vernon Turner, Lucious’s (series lead Terrence Howard) long-time friend from the streets and business associate who is now the chairman of the board of Empire Entertainment. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Jennifer Beals (The Chicago Code) has landed the lead role in the TNT drama pilot Proof, a supernatural medical drama that will be executive produced by Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer). The pilot centers on Dr. Kathryn Russo (Beals), a skeptical, hard-science, brilliant female surgeon with a caustic edge who has been struggling with the devastating loss of her teenage son and a growing estrangement from her surviving daughter. She is persuaded to investigate cases of reincarnation, out-of-body experiences, hauntings — all of it looking for verifiable proof to answer one of life’s greatest questions: Is death truly the end, or is there something else beyond? (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Robert Patrick (The Unit) has joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot Scorpion that centers on an eccentric genius and his international network of super-geniuses who form the last line of defense against the complex threats of the modern age. Patrick will play Cabe Gallo, a no non-sense, blue collar Federal Agent who works with the group. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Alana de la Garza (Law & Order) has landed the lead role opposite actor Ioan Gruffudd (Ringer) in the ABC drama pilot Forever that centers on Dr. Henry Morgan (Gruffudd), New York City’s star medical examiner., who studies the dead for a reason – he is immortal. His investigative work with recently widowed Detective Jo Martinez (de la Garza), a recovering alcoholic, and relationship with best friend Abe (Judd Hirsch) will peel back the layers of Henry’s colorful and long life. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Mehcad Brooks (Necessary Roughness) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot Identity that centers on Mia (Ahna O’Reilly), a young New Yorker who learns she needs an organ transplant to survive and her only living relative is a newfound half-brother, Davis (Matt Barr), the only son of a wealthy and powerful Charleston family. She connects with them only to find they’re the target of a CIA investigation for involvement in domestic terrorism, and the agency wants her as their newest informant. Brooks will play Brennan, a driven, unorthodox CIA agent who finds himself with a perfectly positioned, but very green, new asset in Mia. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office films for this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. 300: Rise of An Empire – 45 million
2. Mr. Peabody & Sherman – 32.5 million
3. Non-Stop – 15.4 million
4. The LEGO Movie – 11 million
5. Son of God – 10 million
6. The Monuments Men – 3.1 million
7. 3 Days to Kill – 3.06 million
8. Frozen – 3 million
9. 12 Years a Slave – 2.1 million
10. Ride Along – 2 million

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon in Trailer for The Devil’s Knot

Q&A SECTION (with TV Scoop Team at E! Online)

Question: Who’s the new girl Bash is hanging out in the wood with on Reign?! I’m still devastated over Mary choosing Francis over him, so please tell me it’s not a new love interest! – Parker

TV Scoop Team: Hate to break it to you, but Rowan, said lady in the woods, may just be the Ygritte to Bash’s Jon Snow (Game of Thrones reference, duh). “I suppose you could say there’s parallels there,” Torrance Coombs says, before teasing, “We pick it up a couple months later, and Rowan actually seems to be a bit of a pain in the ass at first, but she actually ends up saving Bash from a bear trap, and they have a little adventure. In many ways she’s quite a good match for him so we’ll have to see what happens between them.”

Question: The Fosters is my new obsession, I love every episode. Got any news on what’s coming up? – Michelle

TV Scoop Team: Get ready to rock out because we’re about to be introduced to one of the best bands in the history of ABC Family TV. Brandon will soon meet Lou (short for Lucy) is an 18-year-old singer who is as attractive as she is charismatic—just don’t criticize her work or you’ll be met with a whole lotta attitude. And Mateo is a friend of Wyatt’s who quickly realizes that Brandon’s classical music background could be exactly what their band needs.

Question: I can’t wait to find out more about the Wicked Witch on Once Upon a Time! What can you tell us about her? – Lauren

TV Scoop Team: Well first of all, our gal’s name is Zelena, and secondly there’s a very important reason why she is oh-so green. According to the lovely Lana Parilla, we will soon get the wicked witch’s entire background. “There’s some real deep-rooted issues there, with this Zelena character,” she said. “It manifests in jealousy, it comes out in envy, but there’s some deeper issues there that I can’t share with you.” Aww, snap! Not to worry, we’ll have more scoop from Lana and OUAT’s magical creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis as we get closer to Sunday night’s episode.

Question: I can’t believe Ali’s mom might be “A” on Pretty Little Liars! Why would she be doing this to the girls?? – Tiana

TV Scoop Team: Well first of all, we’ve all known that something has been kind of “off” with Mrs. D for quite some time now. Executive Producer Marlene King revealed that all will be revealed at the end of the season. “Well a lot of that comes out in the finale. Alison really does share with the PLL’s what happened the night she died and it’s in a chronological order,” she said. And believe us, you’re not going to want to miss the final 30 seconds. It’s absolutely mind-blowing.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Tara Buck, who has had a recurring role on the HBO thriller True Blood for the past six seasons has finally been promoted to series regular for the show’s upcoming final season. Buck plays Ginger, the blood-serving barmaid. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Fran Kranz (Dollhouse) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot Exposed, which centers on Anna, an investigative journalist who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth including making questionable alliances. Kranz will play Jeremy, Anna’s hipster younger brother, a tech genius who runs a corporation and has top-secret security clearance. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers and Frasier) has joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot Madam Secretary that explores the personal and professional life of maverick female Secretary of State Elizabeth McGill (Tea Leoni) as she drives international diplomacy, wrangles office politics and balances a complex family life. Neuwirth will play Elizabeth’s loyal assistant, and the only person on her staff she actually hired. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Ryan McPartlin (Chuck) will star opposite Ashley Judd in the NBC drama pilot Salvation that is about what happens when mega-church Pastor Daniel Strickland suddenly dies. His loyal wife, Jennifer Strickland (Judd), must rally to keep their family together and save the church. McPartlin will play Congressman Todd Bishop, an ambitious man whose political life keeps him from home, making him a bit of an absent husband and father. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Katie Holmes (Dawson’s Creek) will return to TV in the untitled ABC drama pilot from Richard LaGravenese that is set in New York and revolves around the love and rivalry between two equally matched, powerful socialites, Philip Fitzgerald Julien (Rufus Sewell) and Margot Worth Cole, who play out their obsessive attraction and seduction of each other through their manipulation of others. Holmes will play Ann, a woman of education and breeding who, with her husband, runs a philanthropic foundation that helps bring clean water to African villages. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot American Crime where she will star opposite Timothy Hutton (Leverage). The pilot centers on the racially charged murder of a war veteran and the subsequent trial, both of which are examined through the personal lives of the players involved. Huffman will play Barb Skokie, Russ’ (Hutton) stoic ex-wife and mother of the killed young man, Matt. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Bojana Novakovic (Rake) has landed the title role in the ABC drama pilot Agatha, that follows Agatha, a criminal-turned-criminologist, who returns home to Philadelphia to help solve the disappearance of a local girl. She also reunites with her detective father, with whom she hasn’t spoken in 15 years. (Andy Swift at TV Line)

Actor Dave Annable (Brothers & Sisters) has joined the cast of the FOX drama pilot Red Band Society, a hospital soap about a group of teenage patients who form a bond while being treated in a children’s wing. Annable will play Dr. William McAndrew, a rock star pediatric oncologist and surgeon who is compassionate and dedicated to his job but tries, usually in vain, not to get attached to his young patients. The cast already includes Octavia Spencer. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor Tony Goldwyn (Scandal) will appear in the Lifetime original movie Outlaw, which centers on the true story of Warren Jeffs, the leader of a Fundamentalist Mormon polygamist sect who spent more than a year on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List. He eluded authorities and was ultimately caught by a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Q&A SECTION (with TV Scoop Team at E! Online and Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Question: Please ease my pain over Drop Dead Diva ending with some spoilers? – Jenn

TV Scoop Team: We don’t like to leave people wanting. In an upcoming episode, Jane is tasked with getting the sperm donor records to find the father of a teen girl who desperately needs a bone marrow transplant. Meanwhile, Owen represents Ellie Chapin, the mayor of Malibu who does some rash acts and doesn’t have the get out of jail free card she thought she did.

Question: Teen Wolf scoop, please? – Jaime

TV Scoop Team: Get ready to meet Ms. Fleming, the new math teacher. And we all know what seems to happen to teachers on Teen Wolf.

Question: I’m a huge Arrow fan and I was wondering if you had any hints about the mysterious girl (with the pigtails) in the “Suicide Squad” promo? –Celeste

Mitovich: The CW has no official comment — and I’m hearing it’s possible this mystery woman won’t appear in the actual episode — but our good friends at IGN are speculating that it’s a veiled nod to Harley Quinn.

Question: I would love some scoop about what’s ahead on Revolution. –Stacie

Mitovich: Casting is underway for the season-ending, double-episode role of a blue-collar dad to two teenage kids who “wants to do the right thing for his family at all costs.” Wow, go ahead and order a red shirt for him now, why don’t you?

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

E! has picked up their first scripted drama called The Royals, which will be a sweeping ensemble series set in London, revolving around the high-class modern life in the fishbowl for the regal set. Actress Elizabeth Hurley will play the demanding matriarch Queen Helena. The series is expected to air sometime in 2015. (Cynthia Littleton at Variety)

Actor Neil Hopkins (Lost) has joined the cast of the upcoming action drama series Matador on the El Rey Network. The series will chronicle the unlikely rise of Antonio “Matador” Bravo (actor Gabriel Luna), a popular soccer star who in reality is a covert operative for a little known branch of the CIA. Hopkins will play Noah, female lead Annie’s (actress Nicky Whelan) brilliant but awkward partner. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Timothy Hutton (Leverage) has landed the lead role in the ABC drama pilot American Crime that will center on the racially charged murder of a war veteran and the subsequent trial, both of which are examined through the personal lives of the players involved. Hutton will play Chuck Skokie, a former gambling addict-turned-honest working man whose adult son Matt is the victim. Actress Penelope Ann Miller has also joined the cast, playing Eve, the emotionally shattered mother of the killed man’s badly beaten wife who is on life support. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Rufus Sewell has landed the lead role in the ABC drama pilot from Richard LaGravenese, which has yet to be titled. The pilot is set in New York and revolves around the love and rivalry between two equally matched, powerful socialites – Philip Fitzgerald Julien (Sewell) and Margot Worth Cole – who play out their obsessive attraction and seduction of each other through their manipulation of others. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Brianna Brown (Devious Maids) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot The Visitors, which chronicles the race against the clock to defeat an unseen alien enemy out to destroy the world. Brown will play Lena, who discovers that her daughter is being turned against her by a covert alien operation. She refuses to play victim and joins forces with her husband Wes (actor Barry Sloane) and Claire (actress Lily Rabe), revealing herself as the most ruthless fighter of all in order to get her daughter back. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Annie Ilonzeh (Arrow, Drop Dead Diva, Switched at Birth and Charlie’s Angels) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot Coercion that revolves around the O’Connor family and their son, Alex (actor Gavin Stenhouse), a decorated American war hero and CIA analyst. Unbeknownst to Alex, both of his parents and his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated. Ilonzeh will play Julia, a no-nonsense Special Agent with the FBI assigned to work closely with Alex. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Diogo Morgado (The Bible mini-series) has joined the cast of The CW drama pilot The Messengers that focuses on what happens when a mysterious object crashes down to earth. A group of seemingly unconnected strangers die from the energy pulse, but then awaken to learn that they have been deemed responsible for preventing the impending Apocalypse. Morgado will play The Man, a mysterious figure who wakes up naked and burned in the desert and sets out on a mission to provide some answers about the strange events. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Mariana Klaveno (Devious Maids and True Blood) has been cast in the as-yet-titled Kevin Wiliamson drama pilot for CBS that will revolve around two detectives, Beth and Jack (Dylan McDermott), who handle stalking incidents for the Threat Assessment Unit of the LAPD. Klaveno will play Janice, one of the Threat Assessment Unit’s detectives who is often underestimated because of her somewhat flashy appearance. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Hot Trailer: ‘Grace Of Monaco’

Hot Trailer: Quvenzhané Wallis In ‘Annie’

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Leven Rambin (The Hunger Games and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) will appear in the final three episodes of the CW drama The Tomorrow People, playing Natalie, a troublemaking paranormal who has no love for humans. She and Russell (series regular Aaron Yoo) quickly hit it off and become a homo-superior version of Bonnie and Clyde. But things take a turn for worst when Natalie threatens to join Ultra, inciting a potential mutiny. (Sadie Genis at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Julia Stiles (The Prince and Me and the Bourne movie franchise) has taken over the lead role in the TNT drama pilot Guilt By Association (Neve Campbell recently stepped away from this project). The pilot centers on Rachel Knight (Stiles), a talented, unorthodox and impulsive Deputy DA in the LA County District Attorney’s office who sometimes operates outside the law in order to uphold it. Rachel relies on her cohorts, fashionable prosecutor Toni LaCollette (Rose Rollins) and tough-as-nails Detective Bailey Keller (Elisabeth Röhm), for all things professional and personal. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Virginia Madsen (Witches of East End) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot Babylon Fields that is about a town’s residents coming back from the dead. Madsen will play Rhonda Wunch, CDC scientist Thomas Wunch’s (Kyle Schmid) mother who is close to her son and wants him to stay home in Babylon. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Patricia Arquette (Medium) has landed the lead role in the CBS spin-off CSI pilot that centers on Avery Ryan (Arquette), Special Agent in Charge at the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI in Quantico, VA, who is tasked to solve high octane crimes that start in the mind, live on-line, and play out into the real world. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Lucy Griffiths (True Blood and the UK series Robin Hood) and actor Harold Perrineau (Lost) have joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot Constantine, which is based on the DC Comics character John Constantine, an enigmatic and irreverent con man-turned-reluctant supernatural detective who is thrust into the role of defending us against dark forces from beyond. When Liv (Griffiths), the daughter of a late friend, is targeted by demons, Constantine steps in to save her. Perrineau will play Manny, an authoritative angel assigned to watch over Constantine who has the power to step into other people’s bodies, and although he is meant only to observe, Manny will not hesitate to help out if he can save a life. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line, TVScoop Team at E! Online and Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Question: Do you have anything on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland? –Logan

Ausiello: In Thursday’s midseason premiere, you’ll see the Knave as a genie being forced to use his newfound powers — with dire consequences — as well as meet the ABC series’ version of the Jabberwock . Next week, Lost alum Zuleikha Robinson reprises her role as Amara, and on March 20 Barbara Hershey makes her Wonderland debut as Cora.

Question: Can you tell us anything about Mary’s upcoming wedding on Reign? Is there any hope for us Mash fans to cling to? –Melissa

Ausiello: Cling away, Melissa! Though I can’t tell you which brother Mary will choose to meet at the altar, I can say that Thursday’s episode includes one of Mary’s classic passionate speeches, in which she reaffirms her love for Bash.

Question: Please tell me that Jules and Chief Vick are in the final episode of Psych!! —Ross

Ausiello: Jules and Chief Vick are in the final episode of Psych!!

Question: Got anything for Covert Affairs or Suits? —Peggy

Ausiello: Eenie, meenie, miny… Suits! Mike’s getting his very own “Donna” in Season 4! Her name is Sarah and she will enjoy a fun, easygoing rapport with her new boss. (Hmm… should Rachel be worried?) Also among the new players coming into the USA hit are a hotshot, charming attorney at the SEC who makes a play for a senior position at Pearson Specter, and a young man who wants to expand his father’s billion-dollar empire, which bonds him with Harvey.

Question: Since you’ve hardly given The Tomorrow People any love in your column, I’m demanding some scoop on it. Preferably something on John and Astrid. – Anna

Ausiello: Demand and you shall receive. When we spoke to EP Phil Klemmer recently, he had just finished breaking the season finale in the writers’ room and divulged this teaser: “Everybody has their big moment. And John and Astrid get theirs, and it’s totally heartbreaking and really beautiful.”

Question: This season of Arrow is amazing! Any idea what we can expect from the last few episodes? – Andrew

TV Scoop Team: How about an epic finale tease, will that suffice? EP Marc Guggenheim dishes, “If everything goes according to plan, that’s a caveat, you’ll see some familiar faces in the finale. Maybe ones that you’re not expecting.”

Question: Obsessed with The Fosters, so I’m desperate for any spoilers! – Karina

TV Scoop Team: Brandon is joining a new band and getting a new love interest in season two! Look for Lou, the new band’s charismatic and free-spirited lead singer, to have quite the impact, though she doesn’t handle criticism too well. The role is recurring, so Lou will be sticking around for quite some time.

Question: Desperate for any Reign info! – Sarah

TV Scoop Team: Thursday’s wedding episode is the CW drama’s best yet and is a total feast for shippers. However, some fans will be left devastated (while other will celebrate!) when Mary finally reveals which brother she loves more.

Question: What’s coming up on Castle? — Jonah

Natalie: Get ready to meets Capt. Gates’ sister! Eureka star Salli Richardson-Whitfield will play Elizabeth Watts, a U.S. Attorney with ties to Castle and Beckett’s latest murder. “We end up with a victim who it turns out is a confidential informant for the U.S. Attorney’s office,” creator Andrew W. Marlowe tells us. But don’t expect a lot of sisterly love during the investigation; they’re apparently estranged. “Gates doesn’t talk about her,” Marlowe says.

Question: Grimm is getting good! What can you tell me about Adalind’s little Hexen-baby? — Erica

Natalie: After giving birth, Adalind’s powers as a Hexenbiest return as promised, and the child’s powers that were hinted at in utero continue to manifest themselves in interesting ways. Over in Portland, the P.D. will investigate its own mother-and-child problem, e.g., someone’s eating babies!

That’s it. Enjoy!

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