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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Erin Krakow (Army Wives) and actor Daniel Lissing (Last Resort) have joined the cast of the Hallmark Channel one-hour original scripted series When Calls The Heart, based on the Janette Oke series of best-selling books set in the Canadian West, that will debut in January 2014. The two-hour original movie that will kick things off for the series is set to debut on October 5 and will actually star Maggie Grace (Lost) and Stephen Amell (Arrow), chronicling the story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to high society life, who receives her first classroom post in a small coal-mining town in the Western frontier lead by two strong coal-miner widows, Abigail Stanton (Lori Loughlin) and Frances Tunnecliffe (Jean Smart). (Deadline)

Actor Greg Finley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) will have a guest appearance on Necessary Roughness, playing a high school baseball coach who Dani (series lead Callie Thorne) mistakenly enlists to help with another patient. Finley will next be seen in the mid-season CW drama Star-Crossed. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actress Beth Riesgraf (Leverage) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Perception, as Daisy Brannen, a fiercely loyal woman who is startled when Pierce and Moretti (series leads Eric McCormack and Rachael Leigh Cook) catch her at her boyfriend’s motel room. Daisy is terrified but protective of her mysterious beau. Perception will be back with its new season on TNT starting on June 25. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Lauren Lee Smith (CSI and Mutant X) has landed a regular ole on the high-profile drama pilot The Strain at FX that is being eyed for a 13-episode pick-up. The thriller tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll from House of Lies), the head of the Centers for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. Smith will play Ephraim’s ex-wife Kelly Goodweather, who after winning a bitter custody battle, she embarks on a new life with her boyfriend, but when she fails to heed her husband’s warning about the contagion spreading in Manhattan, she pays the ultimate price. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Stellan Skarsgard (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) has joined the cast of the Cinemax drama pilot Quarry that is loosely based on a series of books by Max Allen Collins. The project centers on a Marine marksman (Logan Marshall-Green) who returns home from Vietnam in 1973 only to find himself shunned and demonized. The disillusioned vet is quickly recruited into a network of contract killers and immersed in corruption along the Mississippi River. Skarsgård will play The Broker, a shadowy figure who lures Green’s character into his criminal ranks. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the soon to be released The Bling Ring as well as the Harry Potter franchise) has landed the lead role in the upcoming box office movie (possible franchise) that is based on a trilogy of fantasy-based novels that won’t be released until 2014 called Queen of the Tearling written by Erika Johansen. The story is set three centuries after an environmental catastrophe when a malevolent Red Queen holds considerable power. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE TRAILER

Watch: First Trailer for the Charming Sundance Comedy ‘In a World…’

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Ed Burns (Alex Cross) will play notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel in a recurring role on the upcoming TNT series Lost Angels and actor Robert Knepper (Prison Break and Cult), originally set as recurring on the series, has been promoted to a series regular. Lost Angels is based on the John Buntin book “L.A. Noir”, which follows the turmoil surrounding the LAPD and ruthless criminal activities led by gangster Mickey Cohen (Jeremy Luke). After moving from the East Coast to California, Siegel quickly established himself as the Los Angeles mob leader in the late 1930s and early 1940s, with Cohen as his chief lieutenant. Siegel also was a Hollywood fixture, throwing lavish parties for Tinseltown’s biggest names. Knepper will play Sid Rothman, a rank-and-file mobster working for Cohen. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Roger Howarth (General Hospital and One Life to Live) will appear in a multi-episode arc on Californication, playing a yoga teacher in the class of Karen (Natascha McElhone), Hank’s (David Duchovny) longtime, on-again/off-again girlfriend and mother of his daughter. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Jordan Wall (The Glades) and Josh Randall (Ed) will both guest star in an upcoming episode of Drop Dead Diva. Randall will play Stuart Kane, a world-renowned L.A.-based chemistry professor who has recently fallen in love with a beautiful model. But both his flourishing career and budding romance are threatened when he’s arrested at LAX for attempting to smuggle drugs out of the country. Wall is set to play Brad Pines, a grad student in chemistry and protégé of Kane. Brad is an ambitious young researcher who puts his work on hold to support his mentor following the shocking arrest. Drop Dead Diva will be back on Lifetime starting on June 23. (Kimberly Nordyke and Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Justin Bruening (All My Children) will be heading back to Switched at Birth for a guest appearance on the ABC Family series where he played Chef Jeff who had a fling with Daphne (series lead Katie Leclerc). Also, actor Larry Sullivan (CSI) will guest star in an episode of the series playing Leo, who may be the adopted father of Angelo’s (Gilles Marini) baby. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The cable network Starz is developing a post-Civil War drama called Monsters of God that will be set in 1867 Texas during the Comanche Wars, following two powerful ex-Cavalry men — a war-hungry colonel and his seemingly by the-book executive officer — as they struggle to maintain order over the men in their command as they’re faced with the challenges of an uncivilized territory and their own inner-demons. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

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

Question: Deeks and Kensi: What happens after the kiss on NCIS: Los Angeles? — Moni, via Twitter

ADAM: Well, you’re assuming that Deeks makes it out of Sidorov’s torture trap alive. (Just kidding, that’s a pretty safe bet.) But executive producer Shane Brennan cautions viewers not to make too much of the liplock. “It wasn’t a candlelit dinner,” he says. “It was almost a challenge that he threw down to her. I think it surprised both of them.” But Deeks may feel differently about the kiss after his brush with death.

Question: Any scoop on Haley and Klaus’ future on The Originals? I need my Klaroline! — Liz

NATALIE: Yes, Haley and Klaus are having a vamp/hybrid/were-baby together, but their connection pretty much ends there. “Hayley is, by no means, the Cinderella in the Klaus love story,” executive producer Julie Plec says. “Hayley is a girl who’s pretty tough, fiery, an independent spirit, a survivor in her own right who got drunk, had sex and got knocked up. She’s going to have her own journey. She’s not really meant to be a threat to Klaus’ love life. If anything, she’s the portal into his redemption.”

Question: Do you have any scoop on the “home office” on Once Upon a Time? — Jennie

NATALIE: The home office wanted to destroy magic in our world, but that doesn’t mean that Peter Pan isn’t part of it. Speaking of the mysterious organization, executive producer Adam Horowitz promises pay-off. “We’re going to explain pretty quickly what it is and how, as we showed in the finale, Greg and Tamara were unwittingly working for Peter Pan, and how that all connects.” It was curious that they were so against magic, right?

Question: I need some Rizzoli & Isles scoop! — Andrea

ADAM: As the murder trial of Maura’s mob boss dad Paddy Doyle (John Doman) draws near, Maura finds out that her birth mom Hope (Sharon Lawrence), contrary to her previous claims, might have been in contact with Paddy while he was doing his dirty dealings. How does she find out? With some unwitting help from her half-sis Cailin (Emilee Wallace).

Question: Now that Jack knows Emily’s real identity on Revenge, will they finally get together? — Robert

NATALIE: Not so fast. We asked (OK, begged) Nick Wechsler about the possibility. “I don’t think they will have them get together romantically, and if it happens, it’ll be further into the season,” he says. Instead, expect Jack to focus on his own plan for revenge. “This poor [guy] lost his dad, his dog, his wife, now his brother … it’s going to be the fire under his vengeful a–.”

Question: What’s up with Ali’s mom returning in the Pretty Little Liars premiere? — Jennie

ADAM: She’s a woman of secrets, that’s for sure. Executive producer Marlene King says that her return to Rosewood will spark even more debate amongst the girls about whether they really did see Alison during the fire last season. “She [was] redoing Alison’s room,” King notes. “Is she crazy or [is she] getting ready for Ali to come back?”

Question: Do you have any scoop on Longmire? — Joe

NATALIE: The race between Walt and Branch is heating up. Look for Cady to stump them both during a debate in which Branch definitely has the upper hand. But there will also be a more tangible test of their mettle: When gunshots ring out during the event, which candidate will come to the rescue?

Question: What’s going on with Mike and Rachel on Suits? — Linda

ADAM: Rachel still needs time to process his lie. In the meantime, look for Mike to have nightmares in which she exposes him. While those fears remain unfounded (for now), Rachel does give Mike an equally scary ultimatum: quit or suffer the consequences.

Question: Thrilled about Tatiana Maslany’s Critics Choice win! Any chance you coaxed some Orphan Black scoop out of her (and don’t tell me you didn’t speak to her — I’m armed with evidence that says you did.) —Missy

Ausiello: TVLine’s Vlada Gelman grilled the native Canadian on the red carpet (of the Critics’ Choice Awards) about one of Orphan Black‘s most enduring mysteries: Why the heck did Sarah abandon Kira in the first place? “I think she left because she didn’t know how to be a mother,” explains Maslany. “She just can’t handle that responsibility. For her, she’s always hustled and manipulated. That’s what she knows. And to have a little baby who’s reliant on her is the scariest thing that could ever happen to Sarah. I think she was in a relationship that led her down a road she wanted to get away from.” Speaking of which, who’s the daddy? Teases the actress: “[That] is a mystery still to be solved.”

Question: Please tell me Bunheads will be back for a second season. The pins and needles are starting to hurt. —Amanda

Ausiello: Breaking news directly from consulting producer Dan Palladino: The show’s still on the bubble. “There’s no official word,” AS-P’s other half tells me. “But if Bunheads is not renewed, Amy and I are going to force Sutton Foster to work with us again, at gunpoint if necessary.”

Question: Is there anything concrete yet about Hilarie Burton returning to White Collar? Not that I don’t love the idea of Bridget Regan wooing Neal, too! —Lanie

Ausiello: A White Collar source tells me “there’s discussion about bringing Sara back” but nothing is 100 percent official just yet. My gut says there will be something official in the next couple weeks.

Question: Klaroline shipper here. Please assure me that we’re not going to be forced to endure a full-fledged Klaus-Hayley romance on The Originals. —Kim

Ausiello: Why don’t I let exec producer Julie Plec assure you instead: “Hayley is, by no means, the Cinderella in the Klaus love story. Hayley is a girl who’s pretty tough, fiery, independent … a survivor in her own right who got drunk, had sex and got knocked up. She’s going to have her own journey. She’s not really meant to be a threat to Klaus’ love life.”

Question: Switched at Birth! Scoop! Go! —Val

Ausiello: Sounds like Daphne’s new love interest, Barista Jace, is going to be a bit of a slow burn. “They start off a little hesitant,” Katie Leclerc tells us. “We haven’t fully developed our relationship yet. There’s just been sort of a, ‘Oh, you’re cute.’ ‘Oh, you’re cute.’ Sparks fly.” As for Noah, he hasn’t popped up in the summer vacation episodes yet, but as Vanessa Marano points out, “He still goes to [Carlton High],” so a return is possible once class is back in session.

Question: I’d love anything you have on Pretty Little Liars. —Estee

Ausiello: Expect to see a lot more of the ‘rents this season. As exec producer Marlene King previews, “‘A’ decides that he or she has not been able to divide and conquer the Liars as desired. So, in addition to targeting them, ‘A’ is really going to put targets on the backs of their parents. They’re all under A’s thumb because of it. A big part of the mystery revolves around the Marin family.” Bonus PLL Scoop: The show is casting the recurring role of Travis, a high school-aged gas station employee who possesses a “reserved and rugged” quality and a “solid and moral” center. Which gal do you think will ding his bell?

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL

Congrats to the winners of last night’s Critics’ Choice Awards, including (but not limited to): Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, Tatiana Maslany, Michael Cudlitz, Monica Potter, The Big Bang Theory, Elizabeth Moss and Patton Oswalt (E! Entertainment).

TELEVISION

DirecTV has given a second season order to its first original scripted drama Rogue that starred Thandie Newton as morally and emotionally conflicted undercover detective name Grace Travis. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actors Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games) and Linus Roache (Law & Order) have joined the cast of the History Channel drama Vikings for the show’s second season. Ludwig will portray Bjorn, the intelligent and bold warrior son of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) while Roache will play Ecbert, King of Wessex. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES NEWS

Actor Will Rothhaar (Last Resort) has joined the cast of the National Geographic two-hour original drama Killing Kennedy that will begin in 1959, following the paths of Kennedy (Rob Lowe), a member of one of the United States’ most wealthy and powerful families and his assassin Lee Harvey Oswald (Rothhaar), a disillusioned former Marine and Marxist, until they collide in Dallas four years later. The cast also includes Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time), Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy and Gossip Girl) [among others]. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

British actor Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter franchise) has joined the cast of the TNT drama pilot Murder In The First as a series regular. The series will center on San Francisco PD homicide detectives Terry Seagrave (Taye Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson), as they take on a case that seems more like a maze. Felton will play Erich Blunt, the cocky, spectacularly wealthy CEO of Applicon, a tech genius. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Sarah Jane Morris (NCIS and Brothers & Sisters) has joined the cast of the A&E pilot Occult that will star Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama) as FBI Agent Dolan, who is returning from leave after going off the deep end while investigating his wife Rebekah’s disappearance. Now back on the job, Dolan is paired with Noa Blair (Lynn Collins from True Blood), an agent who, perhaps because of her own “complicated” past, specializes in the occult. Together, they will solve cases for a newly formed occult crimes task force. Morris will play said missing wife. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE NEWS

Actress Holliday Grainger (The Borgias) has joined the cast the live-action adaptation of Cinderella, where she will play one of Cinderella’s beautiful but mean stepsisters. Actress Lily James (Downton Abbey) plays Cinderella while actor Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) will play her handsome prince, and actress Cate Blanchett will play her wicked stepmother. (The Wrap and Dark Horizons)

More casting news for the Veronica Mars movie: Francis Capra, who played Eli “Weevil” Navarro on all three seasons of the TV series, will be in the movie!! (Kickstarter Update)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Natalie Zea (Justified and The Following) will be showing up in the CBS summer series Under the Dome, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starting with episode 9 and in a reversal she will be playing someone who will cause some serious trouble for the residents of Chester’s Mill (Maine) where an invisible force field has cut the entire town off from the outside world. Under the Dome is set to debut on June 24. (William Keck at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

HBO is working on a drama project from Karl Gajdusek, who created the short-lived TV series Last Resort and was the co-writer of the recent box office film Oblivion. This new project called The Spark is set in a world undergoing a technological/industrial revolution in the near future when contacted by a signal from beyond the solar system. It centers on the human reaction to a mystery still spiritually and technologically out of reach and follows a female protagonist as she works on the cusp of the Earth’s effort to discover the origin of the signal. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who) [among others] have joined the cast of the HBO drama pilot The Leftovers (from Damon Lindelof) that will star Justin Theroux. This project is based on the Tom Perrotta novel that takes place after the Rapture happens, focusing on the people who didn’t make the cut. Eccleston, will play Matt Jamison, former Reverend and current editor of his self-published tabloid. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

THEATRE NEWS (WITH TIE-IN TO MOVIE NEWS)

Do any of you remember the independent film Waitress that starred Keri Russell (Felicity and The Americans) and Nathan Fillion (Castle)? Well if you do, you might be interested to know that award-winning producers of the Broadway play Pippin are planning to mount a musical version of the film for the stage with singer Sara Bareilles to compose the music. (Erin Strecker at Entertainment Weekly)

INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION

The UK/Ireland TV channel Sky 1 is planning to make a two-part adaptation of the John Meade Falkner adventure novel called Moonfleet into a made-for-TV movie with actor Ray Winstone set to play Elzevir Block, the leader of a band of smugglers in 18th century Dorset, England. Joining him in the cast is actor Aneurin Barnard (who will be seen in the Starz mini-series The White Queen starting in August), who will play a young newcomer to the smuggling crew as they embark on the hunt for a lost diamond. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

TV TRAILER

BBC Unveil “Luther” Third Series Trailer

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actress Christina Ricci will play legendary Lizzie Borden in a Lifetime original movie about the woman tried and acquitted in the 1892 ax murders of her mother and stepmother. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. The Purge – $36.4 million
2. Fast & Furious 6 – $19.8 million
3. Now You See Me – $19.5 million
4. The Internship – $18.1 million
5. Epic – $12.1 million
6. Star Trek Into Darkness – $11.7 million
7. After Earth – $8 million
8. The Hangover Part III – $7.4 million
9. Iron Man 3 – $5.8 million
10. The Great Gatsby – $4.2 million

Actors Chris Lowell (Private Practice) and Percy Daggs III have officially joined the cast of the much-anticipated Veronica Mars movie. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline and Kickstarter Updates)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today, few though they may be:

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC is finalizing a deal on a 13-episode straight-to-series order for a new drama called The Black Box from writer Amy Holden Jones, who will be executive producing with Ilene Chaiken (creator of The L Word) and X-Men director Bryan Singer. The project will center on Elizabeth Black, world renowned neuroscientist who appears to have it all but is constantly haunted by her own struggle with mental illness. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actresses Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies) and Melissa Leo (The Fighter) will star in the upcoming box office film The End of Love, a touching and genuine story examining the relationship a struggling actor and father has with his son in the wake of losing the child’s mother. (Variety and First Showing)

Actor Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) will star in the upcoming movie The Outsider that follows the life of a former American G.I. who becomes part of the infamous Yakuza criminal organization in Japan shortly after World War II. (First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Josh Stamberg will not be returning to Drop Dead Diva for its fifth season, but the show will have a number of female guest stars, including Natalie Hall (Pretty Little Liars) who will appear in two episodes as a character named Britney; Annie Ilonzeh (Arrow and Switched at Birth) who will play Kim’s new assistant in a recurring role; Brigid Brannagh (Army Wives) will play Molly Hagen, a woman whose deadbeat husband wins a fortune at a casino, only to hide it from her while filing for a quickie divorce; and Reika Aylesworth (Hawaii Five-0 and 24) who will play June Frazier, a brilliant graphic designer who enlists Kim legal help as she battles to protect her dead boyfriend’s legacy from his estranged parents. Drop Dead Diva is back on June 29 at 9 PM on Lifetime. (The Wrap and Kimberly Nordyke at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Emmy Rossum (Shameless) and Justin Long (Live Free and Die Hard) will appear in the independent romantic comedy called Comet that will bounce back and forth over the course of an unlikely but perfectly paired couple’s six-year relationship. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Actors James Franco, Jeff Bridges, Benicio Del Toro and Paul Giamatti as well as actresses , Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard will lend their voices to the box office animated film The Little Prince. The story centers on a pilot (Bridges) who crash-lands in the Sahara desert and comes across a little boy who says he is a prince fallen to Earth from his home on an asteroid. As the pilot repairs his plane, the little prince regales him with stories about his home and the foolish inhabitants of nearby asteroids. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Harrison Ford Versus Gary Oldman in First ‘Paranoia’ Trailer

Nokia Releases Final “Man of Steel” Trailer

INSIDE LINE (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Question: I know Gary Glasberg has mentioned we will see the events that led up to the cliffhanger with Gibbs in the NCIS finale. But will we also get to see what McGee, Tony and Ziva have been doing in their four-month absence? I’m eager to see how they adapted to life outside NCIS and without Gibbs’s rules (particularly Rule No. 12). –Cheryl

Mitovich: If I’m any good at reading between Glasberg’s lines, viewers will be made privy to at least some of that when Season 11 arrives. “The season opener is going to take us from where we left off all the way up to the point where we’re seeing Gibbs [behind a rifle],” he says, As for Tony, Ziva and McGee in particular, “There will be a portion in which they’re still resigned, and then it’ll develop from there. I don’t want to give too much away about the opener yet, but we’ll learn what happened with Tony and Ziva and McGee, I promise.”

Question: I’m curious as to your thoughts on NCIS‘ baiting of “Tiva” fans without delivering. This season, especially, saw the showrunner pushing the notion of the couple becoming a reality, yet once again it did not happen. Even worse, [the finale] found them calling each other “friends,” the same label they applied to each other in Season 9′s “A Desperate Man.” Do you as a reporter find it difficult to see these things teased, when they never come fruition? Or do you think it’s just part of the game and “business as usual”? In addition, do you feel that at some point this bait-and-switch will impact viewership? –Dee

Mitovich: A very sound question, because as you note, I have long witnessed this to-and-fro as well. Quite honestly, I think NCIS and show boss Gary Glasberg face a tremendously difficult juggling act with this (would-be) couple because it is TV’s most watched program, and like a game of Jenga, you can’t be quite sure which slight move could send things toppling. Is NCIS No. 1 because it metes out exactly 25 milligrams of romance every third episode, and never a bit more? Is there a fear that going all-in with Tiva will soap up the show too much? Look at the comments sure to populate below; if one out of three is against the coupling, does that confirm the show would risk disenfranchising some 5 million viewers? (And if you do put them together, will the outcry nonetheless continue if “not enough” intimacy is displayed, a la Castle, presenting a no-win scenario?) All I can do on my end is press for some semblance of concrete evidence behind any loaded quotes (about any topic), then trust the show will follow through to some degree.

Question: Have we seen the last of Eion Bailey (Ben) and Anne Dudek (Danielle) on Covert Affairs? I really loved the chemistry that both of them had with Piper Perabo. –Johnny

Mitovich:Most likely not. As EPs Matt Corman and Chris Ord tell the Inside Line, “Both Ben and Danielle are extremely important figures in Annie’s life. We definitely haven’t seen the last of them.”

Question: Do you know something about Castle or Scandal? This hiatus is killing me! –Martina

Mitovich: I’ll, um, play it safe and go with…. Scandal. If you suspect that, given the roller coaster events of the season finale, newly minted U.S. Attorney David Rosen has turned in his Gladiator card, you’d be right. Sharing his “personal theory” on the matter, Joshua Malina says, “Having spent the time he has with [Pope & Associates], he has newfound respect for them… and he went to school on them. Because he learned that if you really want to be effective – and that’s the sad story of his for the year – pure white hat-edness only gets you so far.” So although Rosen discovered that “getting down in the gutter and fighting dirtier” can get the job done, “I think he considers himself apart from — and possibly above” — Olivia, Abby et al. (Dem’s fighting words, right?)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Bridget Regan (Legend of the Seeker) will have a major recurring role (10-episodes) on White Collar, playing Rebecca Lowe, a beautiful rare book scholar who becomes entangled with Neal’s latest con, and then ultimately Neal himself. Yes, she is a new love interest for Neal. White Collar is expected back this October. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

A second season of the UK series Endeavour has been ordered. The first season of the drama has already aired in the UK and will be seen here in the states on PBS, starting next month. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

Season 8 of Psych will feature the following guest stars: Vinnie Jones (Elementary), Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years) and Kali Hawk (New Girl). Hawk will play a crafty P.I. whose case leads her straight to Shawn and Gus while D’Abo is set to play a “master infiltrator” and right-hand lady to a brutal British criminal to be played by Jones. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actors C. Thomas Howell (Southland) and Steve Howey (Shameless) will both guest star in Sons of Anarchy in show’s upcoming 6th season. Howell will play Frank Eagan, an ATF agent with questionable loyalties while Howey will play Hopper, a hardcore north Vegas member who crosses paths with SAMCRO. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Jerry O’Connell (Crossing Jordan) will guest star in his wife’s new TNT drama King & Maxwell, playing a character named Waskiewicz, a low-rent D.C. PI who tends to be a step behind on all his cases. It should also be noted that actor Christian Kane (Leverage) announced via his Twitter feed that he just wrapped his final day of filming on this new drama where he will appear as Rebecca Romijn’s brother. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly and Twitter)

Actor Justin Chatwin will not return as a series regular to the Showtime series Shameless. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

The Canadian channel Showcase has renewed the sci-fi series Continuum for a third season. Season 2 of the series will begin here in the States on Syfy this Friday, June 7. (Shaw Media)

Actress Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13) will make a guest appearance in the July 15 episode of the ABC Family drama Switched at Birth, playing Aida, a tough, cool and confident medic, who served in Afghanistan with Ty. (Twitter and TV Line)

The Borgias will end after this current third season on Showtime. (Tim Kenneally at The Wrap)

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

Question: What can you tell me about the new season of Unforgettable? — Maggie

ADAM: We know that the cast will look very different this season, but forget about (see what I did there?) Carrie getting off on the right foot with her new colleagues. For starters, Murray (Heroes’ Tawny Cypress), a highly decorated former FBI agent, doesn’t quite understand (or appreciate) Carrie’s gift, and Carrie’s by-the-book new boss Eliot (The Good Wife and The Walking Dead’s Dallas Roberts) won’t be thrilled when she proposes going undercover because of her resemblance to a suspect.

Question: Totally digging Mistresses! How will Savi deal with the fallout from sleeping with Dominic? — Nikki

NATALIE: Suffice it to say that she won’t be keen on continuing the fling. “There’s nothing that she enjoys about it,” Alyssa Milano says. “It becomes darker and darker by the episode for her.” Unfortunately, her one-night stand will have unforeseen consequences that are even worse than the possibility of her husband finding out.

Question: Please tell me Michael and Fiona will get their happy ending on Burn Notice. — Wendy

ADAM: Since Fiona has a new beau, it would be a bit premature to guarantee that she and Michael will have a happily-ever-after. But don’t fret, ‘shippers: You’ll get your fix of lovey-dovey time — and then some! — in the show’s 100th episode, which flashes-back to the couple’s first meeting in Ireland. The landmark hour will shed new light on Michael and Fiona’s roller-coaster relationship. Plus: Who doesn’t want to hear pillow talk with Irish accents?

Question: Got any scoop on Falling Skies? — Alex

NATALIE: There’s a chance that the 2nd Mass could strike a fierce blow against the Espheni when they find a particularly high-value target, but taking it out could also leave the whole state uninhabitable. But Tom and Anne will have more important things to deal with as their baby arrives — and he/she is not exactly what they planned for.

Question: I’m so excited that Switched at Birth is returning. Any scoop? — Sarah

NATALIE: Hold on for some major change! First up, Regina, Bay and Angelo will all be living under the same roof. But don’t expect a rekindling just yet. “That’s such a complex relationship and he paid for my rehab, so there’s a budding relationship, but he’s focused on [finding Lana],” Constance Marie tells me. One thing to look forward to? “All you Dancing with the Stars fans, Gilles [Marini] is going to be dancing in an episode!” Vanessa Marano adds.

Question: Enough about Castle and Beckett’s engagement! Will the new season of Castle be good to Lanie-Esposito fans? — Jessica

ADAM: All signs point to yes. “We’re going to see more ‘Esplanie’ because the Twitter fans have gone ballistic,” Tamala Jones says with a laugh. “[Creator Andrew W. Marlowe has found] a very intelligent way to execute what the fans want to see with what he already has in store.” Bonus: Jones says that, not unlike the spotlight episodes given to Ryan and Esposito last season, Marlowe is cooking up a Lanie story that will explore her history.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) has landed a recurring role on Suits, appearing in the season premiere that is set to air on July 16. She will appear as Ava Hessington, a British entrepreneur who runs a successful international oil company. Faced with a lawsuit that may cost her the family business, she puts her trust in Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) to fight the charges against her. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Justin Theroux has been cast in HBO pilot from Damon Lindelof called The Leftovers, which is based on a novel of the same name written by Tom Perrotta. The pilot centers on life after the Rapture happens and the people who didn’t make the cut, being left behind in a suburban community. Theroux will play Kevin Garvey, a chief of police and father of two who is trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in this new world. (AJ Marechal at Variety)

WGN America has ordered its first original scripted series, a drama entitled Salem from Brannon Braga (24, Star Trek: TNG, Terra Nova) and Adam Simon (The Haunting in Connecticut). The drama has received a straight to series order of 13 episodes. The series is set in the volatile world of 17th century Massachusetts, exploring what really fueled the town’s infamous witch trials. (Lacey Rose at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor David Meunier (Justified and Revolution) will appear in the box office flick The Equalizer alongside Denzel Washington, Melissa Leo and Chloe Moretz. He will play Slavi, a brutal and sleazy Russian pimp involved with Teri, the young prostitute to be played by Moretz. The film is the box office adaptation of the 1980’s TV series about Robert McCall, an ex-covert agent who hires himself out to those in need. (Jen Yamato at Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: I am so excited for the new seasons of Suits and Covert Affairs, and was hoping for any spoilers on Mike/Rachel, Mike/Harvey or Annie/Auggie. –Tiffany

Ausiello: I choose Column A! Mike and Rachel’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner-esque sit-down with her parents, which Meghan Markle first told us about, will come with all the requisite awkwardness and grilling one might expect. But just how uncomfortable is it? I’m hearing that race and dead parents are brought up! Thankfully, Rachel’s mom is there to play peacekeeper — and to ask her daughter if she loves Mike. (Two guesses on Rachel’s answer?) Bonus Suits Scoop: The show is on the prowl for an actress to play mom to Gina Torres’ Jessica. Mrs. Pearson is beautiful, strong and powerful, but much warmer and much more accessible than Jessica. (We will come to learn that Jess gets her chilliness from her father.)

Question: I usually can’t stand cheaters, but I love Switched at Birth‘s Bay and Emmett so much. Any hope on the horizon? —Dakota

Ausiello: Unfortunately, Emmett is giving Bay her space in Monday’s premiere, an episode that also finds Daphne and Bay shaking up their living situations (the result of which may give viewers a little taste of what’s to come in the “What If?” hour later this season).

Question: I’m desperate for anything you have on Pretty Little Liars. —Estee

Ausiello: It looks like Emily is taking her swimming career to the next level. In next season’s ninth episode, aptly titled “Into the Deep,” the wannabe Missy Franklin crosses paths with a prolific swimming coach who’s famous for sending his students to the Olympics. He’s also famous for being something of a drill sergeant, so let’s hope Emily doesn’t get in over her head.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Starz has given a series order to Outlander, the drama project based on the Diana Gabaldon best-selling series of books from series developer Ron Moore (the man behind Battlestar Galactica). The project will follow Claire, a married WWII combat nurse, who mistakenly steps back in time to the year 1743 where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world of adventure that sends her on the run and threatens her life. When Claire is forced to marry Jamie, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, it ignites a passionate affair that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Announced this weekend actor Matt Smith is leaving Doctor Who after four years playing the legendary character. He will appear in the much-anticipated 50th anniversary episode set for November and will leave in the annual Christmas episode which will feature the regeneration of the doctor into whoever will play the 12th doctor. No casting announcement has been made on who will take over the iconic role. (Jethro Nededog at The Wrap)

Actress Marisa Ramirez has been promoted to series regular on Blue Bloods. (Liz Raftery at TV Guide and The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Dominic West (The Wire and The Hour) will play the lead role in the Showtime drama pilot The Affair that is an intense and intimate exploration of two marriages and an affair that disrupts them — with all of the complex consequences that result. West will play Noah, a good husband, devoted father of four, and New York City high school teacher whose settled, comfortable world is about to implode when he meets a woman he thinks is his soul mate. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office films from this past weekend according to Box Office Mojo:

1. Fast & Furious 6 – $34.5 million
2. Now You See Me – $28.1 million
3. After Earth – $27 million
4. Star Trek Into Darkness – $16.4 million
5. Epic – $16.4 million
6. The Hangover Part III – $15.9 million
7. Iron Man 3 – $8 million
8. The Great Gatsby – $6.3 million
9. Mud – $1.2 million
10. The Croods – $615,000

Actress Karen Gillan (Doctor Who) and actor Benicio Del Toro have both joined the cast of the upcoming box office film Guardians of Galaxy. Gillan is believed to be playing the female villain while the role that Del Toro will play is being kept under wraps. The cast of the film includes (among others) Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace, and Glenn Close. (The Hollywood Reporter, Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Roush at TV Guide)

Question: After finishing Saturday’s season finale of Orphan Black, many thoughts come to mind, but the most obvious is that if Tatiana Maslany doesn’t walk away with the Emmy for best actress — or is it five nominations in the best supporting actress category? — then the people who vote just aren’t watching TV. Every character she plays has such varied distinction from hair, voice, even walks, and other minor mannerisms and played them all with a determination like it was her only character. It might have been easy to phone one or two in and at times you could forget it all one person. Matt, I know you enjoy the show, but I was curious: Did you ever at any time find yourself picking a favorite? I think mine came to be Alison, because while they all have a dark side, the one who seemed to be the most sunshine and light was probably the darkest of all with a heavy dose of comedy thrown in. Can the show sustain excellence in Season 2? — Jeffrey

Matt Roush: It really was a tour de force performance(s) in service of a terrific and twisty story, and I see no reason to think the fun won’t continue next spring in Season 2. As for a favorite among the clones: You make a good case for the ever-surprising Alison, and for me the most purely enjoyable episode was the one where she was center stage, torturing her husband who she believed to be her Monitor — turns out she was right! — while haplessly trying to host a party for her suburban neighborhood. But I’m most struck by Maslany’s range when she’s being Sarah pretending to be Beth, then shifting gears into tigress mom protector or action heroine or whatever else the script demands. Maslany is a true find, but will she make it onto the Emmy radar? Let’s hope so. Maybe her nomination for the Critics Choice Television Awards — chosen by people who actually do watch a lot of TV, unlike (ironically) much of the TV Academy membership — will wake the voters up. I’m not counting on it, but wouldn’t it be a lovely surprise? (Also hoping first-timers Vera Farmiga of Bates Motel and Keri Russell of The Americans can somehow make the cut. What a tremendous category that would be.)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

NBC has given a second season to their new thriller series Hannibal. (The Wrap)

Actress Ashley Davenport is leaving the ABC soap opera Revenge. It is believed to be for “storyline reasons” that she will no longer be part of the cast. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NEW SHOW TRAILER

Star-Crossed (The CW) Trailer

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Agnes Bruckner, who plays Anna Nicole Smith in the upcoming Lifetime biopic about the former Playboy model, has joined the cast of the A&E drama pilot Occult where she will star opposite Josh Lucas and Lynn Collins. This pilot centers on Dolan (Lucas), an FBI agent who returns from administrative leave after going off the deep end while investigating his wife’s disappearance. Eager to be back on the job, he is paired with Noa Blair (Collins), an agent with her own complicated backstory who specializes in the occult. Together, they will solve cases for the newly formed occult crimes task force. Bruckner will play Lucy, an attractive, edgy young soul caught up in the occult. Presumed dead after being shot in the heart, she rises from the autopsy table, possessed and hell-bent on joining her fellow cultists. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Leven Rambin (The Hunger Games) will appear in two upcoming independent films. The first is Seven Minutes about a young athlete (Luke Mitchell) whose serious injury leads him to break bad. The second is called Walter, which will tell the story of a guy (Andrew J. West) who believes he’s the son of God and thinks he is destined to decide the fate of everyone he encounters. Rambin plays a love interest to the male leads in both films. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Hugh Jackman & Jake Gyllenhaal in First ‘Prisoners’ Trailer

INSIDE LINE AND Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Revolution | The Season 1 finale has yet to air, and already NBC’s freshman hit is busy recruiting reinforcements for the battles yet to come. Season 2 casting calls have gone out for the possibly series regular role of Gene, a folksy, 60something doctor from a small Texas town, as well as the recurring characters of Cynthia (a religious single mom), Annabeth (a femme fatale who runs an entertainment “mecca” of sorts), Titus (a slightly psychotic professor) and a handsome sheriff in his 30s. As for Monday’s season-ender itself, Elizabeth Mitchell assures us, “Forces collide…. Forces most definitely collide!”

Question: Got any NCIS scoops, particularly on McGee? –Marla

Mitovich: As revealed in the season finale, Tim’s got himself a new honey. And though show boss Gary Glasberg has yet to decide what “type” the mysterious Delilah is, viewers will eventually get to lay eyes on her. “I’m hoping to pick [that storyline] up and explain more — and hopefully, at some point, we’ll get to meet Delilah, as well,” Glasberg says.

Question: Is it just me, or do you think Hook has feelings for Emma on Once Upon a Time? Any scoop on them would be awesome! –Kelley B

Mitovich: You know my stance on the whole Emma thing: What guy wouldn’t? But where Hook is concerned, seeing as he’s now on a journey with two eligible bachelorettes, the Jolly Roger might transform into the Love Boat. “It’s probably about time he sort of found another love in his life,” Colin O’Donoghue shared with me at season’s end. “But if it was a toss-up between [traveling companions] Regina or Emma, I’m not sure exactly who he’d go for.” Given that Emma is currently reeling from the loss of Neal, “Maybe he’ll have fun with Regina, while he’s waiting for Emma,” the pirate’s portrayer ventures. “Who knows!”

Question: I love the dynamic between Rizzoli & Isles‘ Jane and Casey. Can you please give us some info on what’s going to happen to them? –Tracie

Mitovich: The June 25 season premiere has a scene (or several) to make you smile… followed by one that will furrow your brow, as it does Jane’s, when Casey reveals an itinerary that will take him out of town, and then some. “Trying to work out whatever it is [they have] — Jane’s not really ready to settle down, and he kind of is — is incredibly difficult to do while he’s back in Afghanistan,” notes Angie Harmon. As for the season a whole, the actress enthuses, “We’ve gone back a bit towards the pilot, as far as going more dramatic. The playful banter is still there, but the cases are a lot more serious — which I’m excited about.”

Question: I’ve seen a few promos for Major Crimes but none have shown Rusty. Is he still around? –Estee

Mitovich: Though the character was the target of some backlash during Season 1 — perhaps a scapegoat for TV’s trend at the time to inundate us with petulant teens — Rusty is back for Season 2. In fact, his fate looms large in the premiere, as Deputy D.A. Emma Rios (played by new series regular/My Name Is Earl alum Nadine Velazquez) vigorously preps the lad for his sure-to-be-difficult/dicey testimony in the Stroh case — and Ms. Rios’ demeanor is not improved a lick when she learns with whom her No. 1 witness has been living!

That’s it. Enjoy!

PS: Have a terrific weekend!!

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