The Casting Call 09.02.09

The Casting Call brings together the latest casting news to keep you informed on who is showing up on which show. Find out who is joining your favorite show as a series regular, a recurring character, a guest star or special cameo. The Casting Call could reveal upcoming story-lines, so be aware, there may be spoilers ahead.

100 Questions (NBC)
Michael Benjamin Washington has joined 100 Questions. The show stars Sophie Winkleman as Charlotte, who, looking for love, joins an online-dating site. Washington will play her dating counselor. Washing replaces Amir Talai, who played the dating counselor in the pilot.

Castle (ABC)
Debi Mazar is joining the the show as Paula Haas, book agent to Nathan Fillion’s modern-day Jessica Fletcher. She’ll first appear in October when she makes Castle an offer he’ll find hard to refuse. Accepting the offer would cause a fair amount of upheaval in his life, particularly his relationship with Detective Beckett.

Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)
Paula Abdul has landed a cameo on the show. She will play a gavel-banging, glammed-up version of herself in a dream sequence set in a courtroom. In the over-the-top scene, the former “Idol” judge dispenses oh-so-fabulous justice in a vocal and fashion critique to Jane, a plus-size lawyer possessed by a skinny model.

At one point in her scene from the September 20 episode, “Judge Paula” rises from the bench to reveal her “belted and bedazzled” ensemble – a chunky belt and glittery skirt below a flowing top crafted from a black judge robe. Abdul appears in Jane’s dream to motive her to sue a clothing retailer that only sells small dresses.

Game of Thones (HBO)
Lena Headey, most recently seen as Sarah Connor in Fox’s The Sarah Connor Chronicles, will play Cersei Lannister, a woman of royal blood who is every bit as smart, cunning and devious as the powerful men around her.

House (Fox)
Michael Weston is returning this fall as private eye Lucas Douglas. Lucas first appeared last fall when House hired him to tail his Wilson. After appearing in multiple episodes, the Lucas disappeared without explanation. At the time, series creator David Shore said Lucas was brought in primarily to play off of House. “But once Wilson came back,” he added, “we didn’t dramatically have a need for him anymore.”

Lost (ABC)
David H. Lawrence XVII, most recently famous for the recurring role of puppetmaster Eric Doyle in season three of Heroes tweeted that he will be appearing in the final season of Lost. “I’m gonna be on #LOST,” Lawrence tweeted. “One episode to start, maybe more. Headed to Hawaii Monday, on hold for three weeks,” Lawrence clarified.

Nip/Tuck (FX)
Joan Rivers has signed on to guest star in the final episode. Rivers doesn’t know what the episode will be, explaining that “they only send you your pages for what you’re filming.”

Numbers (CBS)
Arrested Development and Chuck actor Tony Hale will guest star in an October episode, playing an erratically brilliant biotech professor with some interesting ethical notions.

Party Down (Starz)
Megan Mullally has joined the cast of its comedy series Party Down. She will play Lydia Dunfree, who is described as a middle-aged refugee from a lousy marriage who leaves small town life to move to Hollywood where her 13-year-old daughter Escapade hopes to make it as an actress. While the younger endures the audition process, her naïve and eternally optimistic mother Lydia feels honored just to be among the show business’ pros.

Scrubs (ABC)
Windell Middlebrooks is joining the new season of Scrubs, playing one of the medical school’s two security guards.

The Deep End (ABC)
Nicole Ari Parker has joined ABC’s midseason drama series. On The Deep End, set at an L.A. law firm, Parker will play Susan, a sexy, smart, steely lioness of the firm’s litigation department whose husband, Clifford Huddle (Billy Zane), is the firm’s new managing partner. She replaces Sherri Saum, who played the role in the pilot.

The Office (NBC)
Linda Purl, a relatively unknown actress whose biggest claim to fame was playing Andy Griffith’s daughter on Matlock, has been cast to play Pam’s mother. She’ll make her Office debut next month at Pam and Jim’s wedding.

Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Annie Potts has been cast to play Judith’s (Marin Hinkle) fresh-out-of-rehab mother in an episode airing October 5.