It would seem that casting news for Young Adult TV shows revolves around just a few hot and very in-demand names, and what a busy bunch they are! But because things change in showbiz faster than it takes Disney to fast-track something into production, the names on that list are changing all the time. So to that end, we here at YA Mag will undertake the hefty task of keeping you up to date on who’s playing what, who’s hot, and who’s not. The roles and stars in everyone can’t stop talking about are all here…
From Smash
to The Flash. Andy Mientus, alum of the short-lived Broadway musical-themed NBC show Smash (as well as feautired on Chasing Life), is next set to appear as openly gay supervillain Hartley Rathaway, aka The Pied Piper. We can’t wait!
In a best-of-both-worlds type of event, good old Xander from the classic Buffy, aka Nicholas Brendon, will be joining the ranks of MTV’s Faking It in a guest role. He will play an artist who interviews some of the students for a prestigious fellowship at an art school.
Veteran actor/comedian Tony Cavalero will portray Dewey Finn (Jack Black’s role in the 2003 movie
) in Nickelodeon’s reboot of School of Rock. Cavalero is surely familiar to many viewers, thanks to his work on Modern Family, Hart of Dixie, and the short lived thriller series Aim High. Additionally, Cavalero has been cast in the CBS Films comedy The DUFF, as well as rom-com Playing It Cool.
In hopes that they have Ugly Betty-size success, The CW is adapting First Lady for US audiences. Based on the Chilean telenovela Primera Dama, which is a rags to riches story of an illegal immigrant who ends up in the White House as First Lady, the show is being exec produced by Jennifer Garner.
The Good Wife’s
Makenzie Leigh will join FOX’s breakout comic book-inspired hit Gotham as Liza, a wild child.
Alexandra Krosney will star in MTV’s Self Promotion, a dark comedy directed by Zach Braff that resembles a darker version of Working Girl.
Pretty Little
Troian Bellisario will guest on an upcoming episode of USA’s Suits, which follows a brilliant but confused college dropout who finds himself a job working with one of New York City’s best lawyers. Troian will play Claire, an idealistic law student and social services volunteer.
IN DEVELOPMENT
Get ready for a Pinocchio prequel! Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief, The Goldbergs) is working on The Three Misfortunes of Geppetto, focusing on the puppet’s creator and his quest to find his true love.
In other movie-to-TV news, DHX Media is developing twenty six half-hour episodes for an animated reboot of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
, originally a beloved and imaginative children’s storybook that served as the inspiration for the wildly inventive big screen version
