It would seem that casting news for Young Adult Hollywood 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 you can say ‘Guess which show got cancelled?!‘, 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 each month on who’s playing what, who’s not, and who should. The roles and stars everyone can’t stop talking about are all here…

 

Left to Right: Patty Duke, Meredith Baxter

Let’s start things off this month with some very scrumptious news from the world of TV casting, most notably the grand return of Family Ties’ Meredith Baxter, who will play girlfriend to none other than Patty Duke (an even grander return) on Glee! Now, we don’t fully expect our readers to know who either of these women are, but trust us—they are both TV royalty (not to mention Patty’s Oscar for The Miracle Worker way back in 1963). This is a whole new reason to be Glee-ful!

 

And for you Once Upon A Time fans, a spinoff is already underway, delving deeper into the world of Alice and her Wonderland. Entitled Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, the series features Sophia Lowe as Alice and Peter Gadiot as a mysterious character named Cyrus. But what we really want to know is…are the rumors that Paul Reubens (yes, Pee-Wee Herman himself!) will voice the White Rabbit true??

Left to Right: Sophia Lowe, Peter Gadiot, and Paul Reubens

Last month we revealed details about the reboot of The Selection, based on the killer YA series, which will kick off with a pilot/TV movie. Cast opposite Yael Grobglas is Michael Malarkey as Prince Maxon!

 

Rounding out TV news is I Suck at Girls, another TV movie set for release later this year, starring Connor Buckley (of Deception fame) and Claudia Lee, who is also being tapped for Kick Ass 2. (More on that title next month!)

Left to Right: Michael Malarkey, Claudia Lee, Connor Buckley

 

Not to be outdone, film casting has seen much development as well. Continuing to dominate the rumor mill are final preparations for the filming of Divergent – and the very underappreciated Ashley Judd has been secured to play Tris’s mother Natalie Prior. With Shailene Woodley portraying Tris, this is bang-on casting: both actresses have a soft and demure brunette look that makes them totally buyable as mother and daughter.

Left to Right: Ashley Judd, Shailene Woodley

Another highly anticipated title is Tommy Lee Jones’ second feature directorial effort, a historical drama entitled The Homesman, whose cast reads like the guest list to a very exclusive Hollywood soiree: Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, James Spader, John Lithgow and finally, the now almost-all-grown-up Hailee Steinfeld, who delivered an Oscar nominated performance in True Grit at the age of 14.

 Left to Right: Meryl Streep, John Lithgow, James Spader, and Hailee Steinfield

 

As seen with our newest Top 10 list, Hollywood has a sever case of remake fever these days, and even the Teenage Munant Ninja Turtles are being resurrected (for better or worse). Guess who’s playing gumshoe journalist April O’Neil? Wait for it…Megan Fox! ‘Nuff said. As for Master Splinter, we have Danny Woodburn, of Seinfeld fame…and all we can say is this reboot will just be WEIRD all around.

 Left to Right: Megan Fox, Danny Woodburn

 

Lastly, a very fresh piece of news: Suraj Sharma, who played Pi Patel in last year’s Oscar winning adaptation Life of Pi, will join Jon Hamm and Alan Arkin in The Million Dollar Arm, based on the true story of a sports agent who brings two gifted Indian teenagers to the US, teaching them English an American culture, most notable the game of baseball.

Left to Right: Suraj Sharma, Jon Hamm, Alan Arkin