The Casting Couch 02.13.09

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

Absolutely Fabulous (Fox)
Kathryn Hahn has been cast to star in Fox’s comedy pilot Absolutely Fabulous. The show, from Sony, BBC Worldwide and Tantamount, is based on the British series and centers on best friends Eddie (Hahn) and Patsy (Kristen Johnston), two immature, trend-obsessed, booze-swilling middle-aged women clinging to their youth.

Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Aleksa Palladino, Paul Sparks, Shea Whigham and Anthony Laciura round out the cast of Boardwalk Empire, Martin Scorsese’s drama pilot for HBO. Written by Terrence Winter and to be directed by Scorsese, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire chronicles the early 20th century origins of Atlantic City and revolves around Nucky Johnson (Steve Buscemi), who runs a liquor-distribution ring, and Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt), his ruthless flunky. Palladino will play Jimmy’s wife, Angela. Sparks will play a funeral director whose real business is bootlegging. Whigham will play Eli Johnson, Nucky’s corrupt sheriff brother. Actor and opera singer Laciura will play Eddie Kessel, Nucky’s loyal assistant

Criminal Minds (CBS)
Alex O’Loughlin, is returning to CBS in an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds. The change-of-pace hour, which is tentatively scheduled to air in April, will track a case from the POV of a serial killer, played by O’Loughlin.

Human Target (Fox)
Mark Valley has been cast as the lead in Human Target for director Simon West. The show is based on the DC Comics title and centers on Christopher Chance (Valley), a mysterious security freelancer who assumes the identities of those in danger, becoming the “human target” for his clients.

The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Summer Glau will play herself in the March 9 episode. A train trip to San Francisco takes a major detour when Leonard, Sheldon, Wolowitz, and Raj discover that their favorite sci-fi actress in all the land is on board. But the fanboy frenzy quickly gives way to a heated mass debate when they realize one of them will have to approach her, but who?

Treme (HBO)
Rob Brown has joined another HBO drama pilot, David Simon’s Treme. Brown will play Delmond, a New York jazz musician and son of Albert (Clarke Peters) who reluctantly returns to his native New Orleans. Treme is a post-Katrina-themed drama that chronicles the rebuilding of New Orleans through the eyes of local musicians.