Jaime Pressly Joins NBC Pilot ‘Bad Girls’, CW’s ‘Shelter’ Adds Duo
EXCLUSIVE: I Hate My Teenage Daughter star Jaime Pressly is making a dramatic turn with a co-starring role in NBC’s drama pilot Bad Girls. Adapted from the long-running UK series, the John Wells/Warner Bros. TV project follows the ins and outs of a group of unlikely women in a federal prison. Pressly will play prison warden Melinda, a sexy, ominous woman with a sadistic streak enjoying cat-and-mouse games with her inmates who are terrified by her. The project is formally in second position to Fox’s Teenage Daughter, which also is produced by Warner Bros. The freshman comedy has been de facto cancelled after Fox pulled it from the schedule earlier this week. This marks Pressly’s return to NBC where she co-starred on comedy My Name Is Earl, which earned her an Emmy.
Newcomer Hannah New and Eka Darville have landed lead roles in the CW’s Mark Schwahn/J.J. Abrams drama pilot Shelter. Produced by Warner Bros TV, Shelter is set at historic New England summer resort Shelter Bay where the new and returning staff attend to the practical, emotional and often comical needs of the guests while navigating friendships, rivalries and romances of their own. New will play the lead role of Kathryn Gilchrist, who is at Shelter Bay for her wedding. This marks the first acting gig in her native language for English-born New, who recently graduated from London’s Central School of Speech and Drama with a Masters with Distinction. Fluent in Spanish and Catalan, New began her acting career in Spain where she will next be seen in the 11-part period mini-series El Tiempo Entre Costuras (The Time Between) on Spain’s Antena 3. She is repped by UK’s Creative Artists Management, manager Stacey Castro and attorney Lev Ginsburg. Aussie Darville, managed by Peter McGrath, will play Bobby Repeta, a local who lives at Shelter Bay year-round and works at the bay as a fisherman. He recurred on Terra Nova and Spartacus: Vengeance and recently wrapped the indie Mister Pip, in which he plays the title role opposite Hugh Laurie.
Thank god we are hiring more non-American actors. They really don’t get enough opportunities.
Didn’t you get the memo? Young Americans are turning away from the profession, so producers have to outsource to foreign actors to fill the void.
When Fox in effect cancelled I hate my teenage daughter- someone (can’t remember who) mentioned she should be added to GCB,however,that’s a failure also,& probably won’t be renewed either. As a Jamie fan, this warden role could be interesting-who knows? I actually see her as more of a comedic actress. There were many reasons the Fox show didn’t work-beginning with the title. Anyway, I wish Jamie all the best. Thank you.
Please cast Taylor Cole in, “Bad Girls”. She’s a really good actress who deserves better material than The Event gave her.
Bad Girls has a killer cast. Hope this one moves forward.
Gotta say, I am not even the LEAST bit interested or intrigued by a single casting move for SHELTER. You’d think with such a great pedigree of JJ Abrams and Mark Schwahn working together, they could make this the most compelling drama on the network. So far, nothing.
I was actually hoping it could be a vehicle for an “amped up” rendition of Fantasy Island, Love Boat or Love American Style, where a rotation of outstanding “guests” come to this mysterious Inn. Surely there’s more to this premise than we’ve heard already…because it sounds deadly dull.
Jaime rocks what ever roll she plays. If the script is good she’ll nail it. Good for her. She a great actress.
They are beating out the Americans with a higher level of training.
I gotta say that the more I hear about Bad Girls the more excited I am! Amazing casting and fun and interesting idea at least something different that what we have seen a million times and It is a dramedy so a chance for these talented actor/resses to show their real chops. I hope this one goes compared to some of the other crap I have heard about lately. Super happy for Jaime.
SOOOOO exciting. Jaime Pressly is the best.
Happy for Eka, I like him, so let’s see if this role helps him.