Pilot Casting: Sofer Flies 'Blind'
LOS ANGELES - The cast of "Coupling" seems to be recovering reasonably well from the highly publicized flameout of the show. Rena Sofer is the third cast member from the show to land work this pilot season. She's joined the cast of the ABC pilot "Blind Justice," according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Major Dad" Gerald McRaney, Vanessa Williams and Paula Marshall have joined other pilots. "Blind Justice," from "NYPD Blue" producer Steven Bochco's company, is about a cop (Ron Eldard, "House of Sand and Fog") who becomes blinded on the job. Sofer ("Ed," "Just Shoot Me") will play Eldard's wife. Reno Wilson ("The Chronicle") and Frank Grillo ("The Shield") have also joined the cast. Sofer's "Coupling" castmates Jay Harrington and Christopher Moynihan are also working on pilots this spring. Harrington stars in a CBS comedy called "The Amazing Westerbergs," while Moynihan has moved behind the camera to write the comedy pilot "Foster Hall" for NBC. Also at ABC, Steven Eckholdt ("My Big Fat Greek Life") has joined the comedy "Plan B," playing a former high-school crush of star Caroline Rhea's character. McRaney's casting, in a WB comedy from "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett, has a bit of a deja vu feeling. Like "Major Dad," the show, based on Burnett's first years in Los Angeles, is about a military man raising kids. McRaney will play the wealthy father of the kids and employer of a former British commando working as the family's nanny. Reputed show-killer Marshall ("Hidden Hills," "Snoops") has signed on to the CBS drama "Cooking Lessons" along with Elizabeth Lackey and Lindy Booth ("Odyssey 5"). Lackey will star as a food writer, while Marshall will play her friend, a lawyer, and Booth will play an assistant. Williams, late of NBC's "Boomtown," has signed on to the UPN drama "Beck and Call," about twentysomethings working as assistants. She'll play the boss of one of the lead characters. UPN has also added to its roster of projects, ordering a presentation for a drama called "2 Kings." Set in New York City in the 1970s, the show revolves around two high schoolers from different backgrounds who become friends. |
ABC could become the women of The Place network. It's already got Courtney Thorne-Smith on According to Jim, Jamie Luner on 10-8 and Kelly Rutherford on Threat Matrix. Now it could possibly add Laura Leighton, Marcia Cross and Rena Sofer.