Casting News: Privileged Star Heads to Gossip Girl

The CW may have axed Privileged too soon, but they know a star when they see one! Joanna Garcia will stick with the netlet next season when she heads to Manhattan’s Upper East Side for four episodes of Gossip Girl next season. According to reports, she’ll be playing a love interest for Nate Archibald, one Bree Buckley, an irreverent, slightly evil Miss America-type who hails from a conservative Southern family. Can’t wait to see that! She’ll first appear in Gossip Girl’s  September 14 season premiere.

Photo source: the CW

Casting Scoop: Jeri Ryan Joins ‘Leverage’

THR reports that Jeri Ryan has signed on for a recurring role on TNT’s hit series Leverage, a Nice Girl favorite. Ryan will  play Tara, a smart-ass, street-wise con woman whom Sophie (Gina Bellman) calls on for help and who gets sucked into the Leverage family. Sounds like Nate’s going to have his hands full!

Leverage returns for its sophomore season on Wednesday, July 15 at 9/8c on TNT.

Photo source: CBS

EXCLUSIVE: Busy Phillips and Ron White to Guest on Kath & Kim

We’ve got some exclusive scoop for Kath & Kim fans, which around here means me, but whatever! I think this show is hilarious and it’s about to get even funnier! Sources tell us that Busy Philipps (Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek) and Ron White (Blue Collar Comedy Tour) have signed on to guest star in an upcoming roller derby-themed episode of the show.

Seriously? Roller derby? I can picture the outfits now…and they don’t look that much different from what the mother-daughter duo wear on a daily basis. But wait, it gets better! Ron White will play Rusty, the ex-husband of Kath (Molly Shannon) and father of Kim (Selma Blair), marking the first time audiences are introduced to this character. Busy Philipps will play Whitney, the “jammer” on Rusty’s team. That’s right, Kath’s ex is on a roller derby team!

In the episode, Rusty boots Whitney down to second string and replaces her with his daughter, Kim. Busy’s character quits the team instead of taking the demotion, and in Kim’s first match she ends up, of course, facing off against Busy’s character. The whole cast was on skates for this episode. I’m cracking up just thinking about it.

Ron and Busy join a long list of Kath & Kim guest stars, including Maya Rudolph, Jennifer Coolidge and Wynonna Judd, who will all star in upcoming episodes.

Pete Wentz Coming to ‘Privileged’

Korbi just scooped that Fall Out Boy Pete Wentz is guesting on Privileged’s first episode back from winter hiatus (episode 1.14). Her sources report that Wentz will be working with the twins – Ashley Newbrough and Lucy Hale – in a scene, but no other details of his role were revealed. He has previously appeared as himself on One Tree Hill and Californication, so we’re guessing it’s a similar deal here. Thoughts?

Fringe Scoop: Olivia’s Lil Sis Heads to Boston

Looks like Olivia’s little sister is heading to Boston, and bringing some issues of her own with her. Ausiello just scooped that Ari Graynor (The Sopranos, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Play List) has been cast as Dunham, Jr. on Fringe:

Graynor will appear in a minimum of three episodes, the first of which airs in January. Per a Fringe insider, Graynor’s character pays Olivia a surprise visit and ends of crashing at her place for a few weeks. “She’s dealing with some man trouble back home,” the insider explains. “But the exact nature of that trouble isn’t clear.”

‘Lil sis also has a ‘lil travel companion: a daughter.

CASTING NEWS: A ‘Privileged’ Mama

Ausiello just revealed that Megan and Lily’s AWOL mom on Privileged has been cast! Sharon Lawrence will take on the recurring role of Shelby beginning in episodes airing in January. Currently she’s committed to just two episodes, but if the CW picks up the back nine and gives Privileged a full season (PLEASE!!!), she’ll probably appear in more.

So what do you think? Megan is already struggling to repair her relationships with Lily and Dad, and now Mom returns after 15 years. They put the “fun” in dysfunctional!

Casting Scoop for Lipstick Jungle

Our go-to guy, Michael Ausiello, has some casting news for Lipstick Jungle today: Vanessa Marcil (most recently of Las Vegas) is joining the show in a recurring role as Josie, a very attractive up-and-coming music manager who promises Shane (Paul Blackthorne) a gig scoring music for a cool indie feature.

Hmm…hot new girl giving Shane a career break? I wonder how Wendy’s going to feel about that.

USA Announces Additional Cast for The Starter Wife

USA just announced several additions to the cast of The Starter Wife, the series continuing the story of Molly Kagan (played by Debra Messing) from the hit miniseries that aired on USA last year. The new, 10-episode series doesn’t premiere until October, but here’s a glimpse at who you’ll be seeing when it does:

Joining the regular cast of The Starter Wife are David Alan Bashe (recently on another NGTV favorite, Lipstick Jungle) as Molly’s ex-husband, Kenny Kagen; Danielle Nicolet as Liz Marsh, Molly’s new friend and the wife of an LA pro-baseball player; Brielle Barbusca (Hope & Faith) as Jaden, Molly and Kenny’s daughter and Hart Bochner (Die Hard) as Zach, Molly’s new love interest and teacher of her writing class. Guest stars include Reggie Austin (Notes from the Underbelly), as Liz’s husband, Devon Marsh; Ronny Cox as Joan’s husband, Pappy McAllister; Daniel Gerroll (from the now defunct Cashmere Mafia) as David Shea, a controversial movie star who Joan meets in rehab; James Black (All of Us) as Felix, a successful action star with a secret; Krista Allen (Unscripted) as Eve, Molly’s nemesis at her daughter’s school; and Alia Shawkat (the delightful Maeby on Arrested Development) as Robin, a troubled girl that Joan befriends in rehab. Returning this season in a special guest appearance is Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds) as Lou Manahan, former studio head and former boyfriend of Molly.

Previously announced cast members reprising their roles are three-time Emmy Award-winner Judy Davis as Joan McAllister and Chris Diamantopoulos as Rodney – Molly’s two best friends. Also returning this season in a special guest appearance is Joe Mantegna as Lou Manahan, former studio head and former boyfriend of Molly. Most recently, Davis won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her role as Joan in 2007. This is the first time both Davis and Diamantopoulos have been cast as regulars in a series.

It would appear that Miranda Otto, who played Cricket in the miniseries, is not reprising her role.

Lipstick Jungle Adds Two New Faces

The cast of Lipstick Jungle is expanding again. Last week we reported that Mary Tyler Moore has joined the show for a multi-episode run; this week we bring news that Rosie Perez and Carlos Ponce have come on board in recurring roles. Ponce, currently best known as a singer from Puerto Rico, will play a contractor and potential love interest for Lindsay Price’s Victory Ford. Hmmm…some blue collar competition for Andrew McCarthy’s Joe?

Meanwhile, Perez has signed on as Dalia, Victory’s new publicist. Described as “fiery and fiesty and the hottest publicist on the planet right now,” Lipstick show runner Oliver Goldstick revealed that the character was modeled after Salma Hayek. Goldstick explained the inspiration to E! Kristin dos Santos, “To Salma, nothing’s unreachable and no one’s untouchable. That’s what I love about her, that can-do approach to everything, and I thought that was a great character to introduce to the show.”

Mary Tyler Moore Joins ‘Lipstick Jungle’

NBC has just announced that TV icon Mary Tyler Moore will join Lipstick Jungle for a multi-episode arc in season 2. Moore will play Joyce, Wendy’s (Brooke Shields) mother, a retired high-powered exec. Having blazed a trail for working women back in the 1970s and 1980s, Joyce challenges Wendy’s idealistic notion of “having it all” — leaving her overachieving daughter in a tailspin.

“I’m fortunate to have had a front row seat to the evolution of working women on television,” said Moore. “It’s been great fun to watch the strong female characters of ‘Lipstick Jungle’ go at it week after week. I absolutely adore Brooke and I’m delighted to be a part of a show which is so well written.”

“I am excited and extremely honored to have an actress of Mary Tyler Moore’s stature and talent join our show,” said Shields.

Moore’s guest run begins with the series premiere on Wednesday, September 24 at 10/9c on NBC.

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