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Kal Penn signs on to Rob Greenberg’s new comedy ‘Ex-Men;’ Jonathan Rhys Meyers tapped to star in NBC and Sky Living’s 10-episode ‘Dracula’ series; ‘Mistresses’ Adds Penelope Ann Miller and more!
CASTING NEWS
Kal Penn (House, How I Met Your Mother) has signed on as one of the leads in Ex-Men, a new comedy pilot from executive producer Rob Greenberg (How I Met Your Mother). The pilot focuses on a twenty-something man who gets left at the altar and moves into a short-term housing complex that is filled with divorced men. Penn will play Gil, one of the residents, who was caught having an affair. Chris Smith (Paranormal Activity 3) has also been cast in the pilot as the jilted groom, Carter.
Kat Foster (‘Til Death) has joined Fox’s midseason comedy, Goodwin Games. TV Line reports that she will be a series regular, playing the role of Lucinda, the childhood sweetheart of Scott Foley’s character. Foster replaces Felisha Terrell, who played Lucinda in the pilot.
Penelope Ann Miller (Men of a Certain Age) has joined ABC’s summer 2013 soapy drama, Mistresses. EW.com reports that she will play a character that has no idea that her late husband had been having an affair.
Rob Thomas will be joining NBC’s The Voice as a mentor. He will be part of Cee Lo Green’s team when the show returns in the fall. Mary J. Blige and Michael Buble were previously announced as mentors for Adam Levine and Blake Shelton’s teams. There have been no announcements regarding Christina Aguilera’s team at this time. The Voice premieres Monday, September 10 on NBC.
RENEWALS
Comedy Central has given new deals to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Stewart will remain at the helm of The Daily Show as host, executive producer and writer through the middle of 2015. Colbert, who also serves as host, executive producer and writer, extended his contract for The Colbert Report through 2014.
Awkward has received the green light for a third season from MTV. The network announced the pickup of a supersized 20-episode season.
Canada’s CTV has given Saving Hope a 13-episode order for a second season. The drama starring Erica Durance and Daniel Gillies has been the top-rated summer series in Canada. Saving Hope airs in the U.S. on NBC, but there has been no word yet on whether or not the network will air Season 2.
NEW SERIES/DEVELOPMENT DEALS
NBC and Sky Living will produce a 10-episode series, Dracula, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors). The latest incarnation of Bram Stoker’s famous character arrives in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who maintains that he wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. But what he’s really after is revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier. Dracula’s plan hits a snag when he falls in love with a woman who might be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
The series is based on a script by Cole Hadden, who will serve as executive producer along with Colin Callender, Tony Krantz, Gareth Neame, Anne Mensah and Reece Pearson. NBC plans to announce additional casting and production details at a later date.
Lifetime has ordered a pilot for Cinnamon Girl, a drama project from Renee Zellweger. Created by Zellweger and Anthony Tambakis, the show revolves around four girls as they come of age during the cultural revolution of the 1960s and early 1970s in Los Angeles. The story is loosely based on Zellweger’s own journey from a small town in Texas to Hollywood. Gavin O’Connor has been tapped to direct the pilot and Danny Bramson will serve as producer.
Fox announced plans to launch The Short-Com Comedy Hour in summer 2013. The show will feature unique short-form sitcoms in a fast-paced, hour-long broadcast. Each short-com will have both established and up and coming actors and comedians in one-act scenes, creating a comedy showcase. Fox also plans to commission the most fully realized scripted vignettes to series.
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