Casting News: Anthony Hopkins to HBO, 'Beauty and the Beast' Vet to CBS, More
Tons of casting news today, as Anthony Hopkins heads to HBO, a Beauty and the Beast vet heads over to CBS for the latest installment of "Dylan McDermott is a creepy guy with bad intentions," and a TV comedy legend goes on to her latest role that's unaffiliated with being a four-time Emmy winner (or being Danny DeVito's wife).
Oh, and we also have news on an Everwood alum most recently seen on NBC's dearly-departed Chuck, which I bring up because 1) Everwood was awesome, and 2) despite never having seen Chuck, I know they have 
Let's get to it!
Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage
At the top of today's list (which, honestly, isn't meant to be in any particular order) is HBO's decision to cast Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins in the TV reboot of the sci-fi classic Westworld. He will be joined on the J.J. Abrams-produced series by Evan Rachel Wood (who's no stranger to HBO, having played Queen Sophie-Anne on True Blood for three seasons).
The show will tell the tale of Michael Crichton's original techno-thriller centering on a futuristic theme park populated with robots who malfunctioned and attacked the guests -- sort of like that classic Simpsons episode where the family was trapped at Itchy and Scratchy Land by killer mascot robots.
Hopkins will play the role of Dr. Robert Ford, a man described as “the brilliant, taciturn and complicated Creative Director, Chief Programmer and Chairman of the Board of Westworld; Ford has an uncompromising creative vision for the park—and unorthodox methods of achieving it.” Meanwhile, Wood will play the role of Dolores Abernathy, a woman described as “provincial, beautiful and kind. Dolores is the quintessential farm girl of the frontier West—who is about to discover that her entire idyllic existence is an elaborately constructed lie.”
While the show hasn't received a full series pickup just yet, the odds are definitely in its favor considering all the talent involved both in front of and behind the camera. Not only do we have Hopkins and Wood in front of the camera (presumably with more cast members to be announced at some point in the near future), and J.J. Abrams executive producing, but we also have Jonathan Nolan directing. You know, the guy who co-wrote The Dark Knight and has written a host of other screenplays with brother Christopher Nolan. In short, this is shaping up to a one of the most fascinating new series in ages.
Via: Entertainment Weekly
Credit: NBC
In other casting news, one of the stars of Beauty and the Beast is joining CBS's latest drama slated for the fall.
Elisabeth Rohm, who's best-known for playing A.D.A. Serena Southerlyn on Law & Order, although she recently appeared for an extended arc on Season 2 of Beauty and the Beast as FBI agent Dana Landon, is joining the cast of Stalker. It's the latest drama in which CBS does its damndest to make sure you're creeped out by Dylan McDermott, who most recently starred in the now-canceled Hostages.
Rohm will once against play an A.D.A. as she tackles the role of Amanda, "a Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney who works with the Threat Assessment Unit and a mother to a 10-year-old boy, whose attempt at a new life in L.A. suddenly is derailed when she discovers her past (aka McDermott’s Jack Larsen) has followed her cross-country."
So yeah...McDermott will essentially be like that kid from Hey Arnold! with the heavy breathing, always just behind you, and always slightly sketchy. Of course, the real ringer in all this is that McDermott's character is a detective from the Threat Assessment Unit tasked with investigation cases of stalking alongside Maggie Q. Naturally, I guess this means there's a real possibility that the best stalkers are the ones whose job it is to catch stalkers. At least on TV.
Via: Deadline
Credit: TV Land
In sitcom news, The Mindy Project has hired itself a four-time Emmy winner and TV comedy legend to play the mother of Danny (Chris Messina).
Rhea Perlman will join the series for Season 3 in the recurring role of Annette Castellano, the impossible-to-please matriarch of the Castellano family.
“The wonderful thing about the character is the trope of the mother-in-law-type figure who doesn’t like the girl is so pervasive, it’s like, ‘OK, how do we do a new spin on this?’” Mindy Kaling teased when interviewed by reporters at TCA summer press tour. “As Danny has said, ‘I don’t know how to please that woman.’ So we haven’t ignored her own relationship with her two sons [Danny and Richie, the latter played by the returning Max Minghella] and her ex-husband [played by Dan Hedaya]. So we really explore a lot.
“The third episode is called ‘Annette Castellano Is My Nemesis,’” Kaling added. “[so] we really hit it dead-on.”
Perlman, who won four Emmys for her role as Carla Tortelli on Cheers, sounds like a pretty perfect fit. She even kind of looks like Chris Messina, at least enough to be his mother by Dan Hedaya. So this is some damn fine casting, even beyond the obvious talent at Perlman's disposal. Should make for some funny TV.
The Mindy Project returns for Season 3 on Sept. 16.
Via: TVLine
Credit: NBC
Lastly, a veteran of Everwood and Chuck, among sundry other shows over the years, is joining one of Lifetime's more popular recent dramas.
Sarah Lancaster, best known to Chuck fans as Ellie Woodcomb, has been cast on Witches of East End as Raven Moreau, who arrives in East End as part of a “secret mission”. However, her sudden attraction to one of the Gardiner boys could compromise her life-long mission. Naturally, because this is Sarah Lancaster we're talking about here, Raven is described as “smart, confident and in control,” although there's no guarantee that's going to do her a whole lot of good in East End, a place that challenges the abilities of even the most genre savvy.
Lancaster will make her debut on the show later this season.
Via: TVLine