Tricia O’Kelley Lands Co-Starring Role In Roseanne Barr’s NBC Pilot In Recasting
EXCLUSIVE: The New Adventures Of Old Christine alumna Tricia O’Kelley has been cast in Roseanne Barr’s NBC comedy pilot Downwardly Mobile. She replaces Eureka star Salli Richardson who was originally cast in the role. Co-created by Barr, John Argent and showrunner Eric Gilliland, the multicamera Downwardly Mobile stars Barr as Rose, the proprietor of a mobile home park and surrogate mother to the unique people who live there in a challenging economy. O’Kelley will play Mrs. Denby whose husband (Greg Cromer), a hedge fund guy who recently lost everything in a Ponzi scheme, brought her to the trailer park so they start fresh at the bottom. Miserable in her new surroundings, Mrs. Denby becomes Rose’s foil. The recasting was done after the pilot’s run-through this afternoon. I hear that Richardson, who has an extensive drama resume but hasn’t done comedy series, didn’t feel quite comfortable at the table read yesterday. Because of her respect for Richardson as an actress, I hear Barr stood up for her and Richardson stayed on. But the multi-camera format is an odd duck and could be very challenging for someone who has never done it, so at the run-through Richardson could not synch up with the others, most of them multi-camera veterans like Barr and her Roseanne co-star John Goodman. O’Kelley, repped by Domain and Art/Work Entertainment, most recently recurred on ABC Family’s The Secret Life Of The American Teenager. Last season, she co-starred in CBS’ untitled Jeff and Jackie Filgo comedy pilot.
Sorry for Richardson but O’Kelley is amazing! She’s a home run! A comic pro. This is great for this show!!!
Well done! Tricia is a HUGE talent and what a great addition to a solid cast. Can’t wait to see this one.
Salli, you’ll be fine! The right project is around the corner!
We loved Tricia in New Adventures of Old Christine. She’s going to be perfect for this role. Sounds like a very fun show. Can’t wait to see it.
Yeah it might feel like a rough break right now, but Richardson will be fine. She’ll probably look back at this as a good thing when a more suitable role comes along. Hopefully this pilot will get picked up because it’s an interesting premise, and I’d love to see what they do with it. After reading about the other upcoming pilots, I could say that about a lot of them though. And now that I have my employer’s new whole-home DVR, the Hopper I’m more excited for the series’ premieres than I’ve ever been before. That’s because DISH included the PrimeTime Anytime feature that records all the major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX) every night automatically. So I’ll be able to record everything and then sample the new shows when I have the time.
I adore Tricia and she was terrific in The New Adventures of Old Christine. And this is a great idea for a show and I am very much looking forward to it!! Jan
“…Richardson, who has an extensive drama resume but hasn’t done comedy series…” Excuse me, but wasn’t SyFy’s Eureka a dramedy? She played just fine on a comedy there.
Unless there is more than one Salli Richardson(-Whitfield? Or is she divoced now?).
i just wish they had given her a chance.. I really think that people need to see more faces of color MIXED in with the already established white actors..America is not all one race. Everyone is everyone..
Like the change. A lot of people don’t understand multi sitcom acting is a specific skillet that does not come naturally to all actors.
I have to admit I was surprised when Salli was cast because I associate her with drama. I am sorry she isn’t going to be on that show but she is talented so I’m sure she’ll be on something soon.