Every fall when the new TV season starts on the major networks, there are always new faces to look out for in the primetime line-up, familiar faces to welcome back to TV and also interesting faces appearing in recurring roles on returning series.
The following list are the faces for which I think viewers should be on the look-out for:
Camren Bicondova
Camren Bicondova (Gotham) – She will play Selina Kyle, who grows up to be Catwoman. In this gritty version of the city that would become the stomping grounds of a man dressed as a bat, Selina is a 14-year-old orphan who is a pickpocket living on the streets; and in this telling she witnesses the brutal slaying of Bruce Wayne’s parents.
Camren is a newcomer to television with this being her first big break.
Gina Rodriquez
Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin) – She plays Jane Villanueva, a hard-working, religious young Latina woman whose family tradition and a vow to save her virginity until her imminent marriage to a detective is shattered when a doctor accidentally artificially inseminates her by mistake during a checkup.
Gina has the lead role in the box office film Filly Brown and has appeared in episodes of Rizzoli & Isles, Longmire, Army Wives, The Bold and the Beautiful and Law & Order.
Grant Gustin
Grant Gustin (The Flash) – He stars as Barry Allen, a Central City Police Department forensic scientist, who is struck by lightning during an explosion of a particle accelerator. When he awakens from a 9-month-long coma, he learns he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds, becoming The Flash.
Grant appeared in a recurring role on 90210 and Glee before appearing as Barry Allen in two episodes of Arrow.
Red Band Society Kids (Left to Right: Nolan, Griffin, Zoe, Charlie, Ciara and Astro)
Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe, Brian Bradley aka Astro, Ciara Bravo and Zoe Levin (Red Band Society) – They star as the patients in the pediatric ward of Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. Twelve-year-old narrator Charlie (Gluck) is in a coma; “new kid” Jordi Palacios (Sotillo), a 16-year-old who comes to California to seek out treatment at the renowned hospital; Leo Roth (Rowe), the 16-year-old, charming and independent “leader” of the group; Dash Hosney (Bradley/Astro), a 16-year-old “rebel” with a big personality, who is determined not to let his cystic fibrosis stop him from living his life; 15-year-old “know-it-all” Emma Chota (Bravo), Leo’s on-again-off-again girlfriend who is coping with an eating disorder; and Kara Souders (Levin), a “mean girl” cheerleader who shares a room with Charlie and has a failing heart.
Griffin guest-starred in Private Practice, United States of Tara and Back in the Game; Nolan appeared in the box office film Prom; Charlie appeared in the made-for-TV movie Neverland and the box office film Pirate Radio; Astro was a contestant on The X-Factor and the box office film Earth to Echo; Ciara appeared in the Disney series Big Time Rush; and Zoe appeared in the box office film The Way Way Back.
Jack Falahee
Jack Falahee (How to Get Away With Murder) – He stars as Connor Walsh, who believes he is the smartest person in the room. He is a sexy, sly heartbreaker who is used to getting any prize he lays his eyes on.
Jack had a recurring role on the short-lived ABC Family drama Twisted and the made-for-TV movie Escape from Polygamy.
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan (Constantine) – He plays the lead role in the DC Comics-based series about a seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult, who is armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and a wickedly naughty wit.
Matt appeared in the short-lived Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, a couple episodes of The Tudors and the box office films Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and Flypaper.
Then there are the familiar faces to welcome back to the small screen:
Tea Leoni
Téa Leoni (Madam Secretary) – She stars as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home.
Téa starred in the comedy The Naked Truth, the short-lived comedy Flying Blind and the box office films Deep Impact, Spanglish, Fun with Dick and Jane and Tower Heist.
Jesse L. Martin
Jesse L. Martin (The Flash) – He plays Detective Joe West, an honest, blue-collar cop who is a surrogate father to Barry Allen and dad to daughter Iris. West came up through the foster care system and took Barry in after his mother’s slaying and father’s imprisonment.
Jesse appeared in the long-running series Law & Order as well as episodes of Ally McBeal and Smash. He also appeared in the films Rent and Joyful Noise.
Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl (State of Affairs) – She stars as Charleston “Charlie” Tucker, a top CIA analyst who assembles the daily briefings for President (of the United States) and nearly ended up as the daughter-in-law of POTUS until the tragic death of her fiancée.
Katherine starred in Grey’s Anatomy as well as Roswell and the box office films Knocked Up, 27 Dresses, The Ugly Truth and New Year’s Eve.
Scott Bakula
Scott Bakula (NCIS: New Orleans) – He will star in the spin-off series as Special Agent Dwayne Pride, aka King, a native of NOLA who is driven by his need to do what is right.
Scott was the star in the fan favorite series Quantum Leap as well as Star Trek: Enterprise, Men of a Certain Age and a small, but pivotal role, in Chuck.
Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer (Red Band Society) – She play Nurse Jackson, who runs a pediatric ward at Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles where (the aforementioned) Charlie, Jordi, Leo, Dash, Emma and Kara are all patients.
Octavia appeared in episodes of Ugly Betty and Raising the Bar (among countless guest appearances on many other TV shows) as well as her Oscar-winning role in The Help.
Viola Davis
Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder) – She plays Annalise Keating, a brilliant, charismatic and seductive criminal law professor and defense attorney who represents the most hardened criminals.
Viola appeared in the short-lived TV dramas Century City and Traveler, the Jesse Stone made-for-TV movie franchise and the box office films The Help, Beautiful Creatures, Ender’s Game and Prisoners.
And, here are the faces of actors who will have a recurring role on just some of the returning dramas this fall, adding some extra spice to the storylines:
Elizabeth Lail and Georgina Haig
Georgina Haig and Elizabeth Lail (Once Upon a Time) – Georgina will appear as Queen Elsa and Lail as Princess Anna, the lead characters from the animated film Frozen who are brought into the town of Storybrooke, Maine.
Georgina appeared in the final season of Fringe, this summer’s CBS drama Reckless and the box office film The Sapphires while Elizabeth is a newcomer, who is getting her big break on the ABC fairytale drama.
Matt Barr
Matt Barr (Sleepy Hollow) – He will recur as Nick Hawley, a rugged bounty hunter who will spend a lot of time with Lt. Abbie Mills and Ichabod Crane – once they both escape the prisons for which they found themselves trapped in the season one finale.
Matt has appeared in One Tree Hill and Harper’s Island, the short-lived Hellcats, the mini-series Hatfields & McCoys and the made-for-TV movie Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story.
Monique Curnen
Monique Curnen (Person of Interest) – She will appear as born-and-bred New Yorker, Captain Felicia Moreno, the new boss of Detective Lionel Fusco.
Monique starred in Lie To Me and the short-lived series The Unusuals as well as the box office films The Dark Knight and Contagion.
Brandon Routh
Brandon Routh (Arrow) – He will recur as Ray Palmer (also known as the DC superhero The Atom), an unparalleled scientist and inventor, who is the new owner of Queen Consolidated and potentially a new love interest for Felicity.
Brandon starred in the box office films Superman Returns and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as well as a recurring role on Chuck and the short-lived comedy Partners.
Craig Parker
Craig Parker (Reign) – He will recur as Narcisse, a devout Catholic whose death grip on the French Court will be challenged by none other than Catherine de Medici herself.
Craig appeared in Legend of the Seeker and Spartacus: War of the Damned as well as roles in the box office films Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and the first two The Lord of the Rings movies.
Who are you looking forward to seeing on the small screen for fall TV on your favorite shows? Please share.
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