Ugly Betty alumna Ana Ortiz is set for a multi-episode arc on another HBO comedy series, Hung. She will play a woman with serious anger issues who becomes a client of part-time male prostitute Ray (Thomas Jane). He ends up helping her deal not only with her voracious sexual appetite, but also supporting her strong emotional needs. Ortiz, repped by Gersh, manager Geordie Frey and attorney Brad Small, recently starred in the Fox comedy pilot Outnumbered.

Also cast in a recurring role on an HBO series is Peter Macdissi who is joining the vampire drama True Blood. He will play Luis Patiño, a vampire sheriff in Louisiana, who harbors a troubled past with ties to the Spanish Inquisition, torture, and the witches that are settling in Bon Temps.

Alice Eve

Ana Ortiz

Peter Macdissi

from Deadline Hollywood Daily, deadline.com

Deep cleansing breath,” CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said at CBS’ presentation after a very carefully edited clip from Two and a Half Men that featured no trace of former star Charlie Sheen. “It has been a hectic few months for us,” she said. “Just last week, thanks to our new cast member’s tweet, we found out what the square root of 6.25 is,” she said, referring to Ashton Kutcher’s tweet shortly after news of his deal for Menleaked. “We could not be happier to have actor, producer and social-media mogul Ashton Kutcher joining TV’s No. 1 comedy for the past five years. Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time together, the new cast of Two and a Half Men.” Kutcher, joined by co-stars Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, walked onstage, grooving to the theme song of the show. Kutcher looked genuinely happy and came across as likable as he gave unscripted remarks. “It’s awesome, it’s unbelievable to be here,” he said, adding that never in his 13-year career had he received so many congratulatory calls and emails. “You’d almost think I won the lotto … which I kinda did,” he said to laughs. “I got the best job in show business and I’m ecstatic.” He cited a piece of advice he was given when he was starting off. “If you want to be successful in life, surround yourself with the best and work your ass off.” “I’m surrounded by the best, and I will work my ass off.”

Cryer addressed the height discrepancy in the new cast, with Kutcher towering over him and Jones. “I asked (CBS’ bosses) Leslie Moonves and Tassler, Did you have to get a tall guy?” and went on to suggest a new title for the show, One and 2 Half-Men.

Olivia Munn and Alison Pill have now completed their negotiations for supporting roles in Aaron Sorkin’s drama pilot for HBO tentatively titled More As This Story Develops.

The project centers on cable news anchor Will McCallister (Jeff Daniels), who has his own show, as well as the show’s female executive producer and staff. Pill will play Maggie, an associate producer on the assignment desk. Munn, repped by CAA and Mosaic, will play a sexy financial analyst on the same cable network as McCallister.

Emily Mortimer is still in negotiations for the female lead of the executive producer, MacKenzie. Munn, who recently starred on NBC’s midseason comedy Perfect Couples, was courted for several broadcast pilots this pilot season but opted not do any. She continues to be a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Tony nominee Pill, repped by WME and Joannie Burstein, co-starred on the second season of HBO’s In Treatment.

From Deadline Hollywood Daily.

The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is continuing its crackdown on Hollywood agencies it believes are running afoul of the state’s labor laws. Today the city attorney and the State Labor Commissioner sent a letter to Burbank-based Central Casting, the industry’s largest extras-casting business, ordering the company to cease and desist from charging or collecting fees from its background actors. An investigation found that Central Casting “charges applicants a cash-only $25 ’photographic/electronic image’ fee, regardless of whether the applicant actually receives work, and that other casting companies collect fees ranging from $15 to $80.” Letter also were sent to 13 other casting companies, the city attorney said. “The Labor Commissioner’s office is committed to enforcing all of California’s labor laws. This includes ensuring actors are not required to pay a fee which the law prohibits,” Labor Commissioner Julie Su said. “An employer that requires a mandatory fee from actors applying for work as background performers in the entertainment industry violates this important rule.”

The letter marks the latest in a string of moves by city and state officials to ensure compliance with the state’s Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act of 2009, which prohibits charging advance fees. Four talent managers have been charged with charging improper fees, the highest-profile one being Nick Roses, a youth talent manager who worked for established management company Luber Roklin Entertainment.

The popular series — which had rave reviews last Fall according to the unbalanced orthopedic charts of the Nieslen company — is tanking again. The UK, Fox Italia, and Cuarto in Spain all air the show via ABC… but nobody is really stepping up to the plate to save it if the network decides to cancel.

The final word will come in closer to the upfront declarations — but the light of hope for FlashForward making it is growing dimmer by the day.

Sorry, FF, your pilot script was great… but the poor ideas resulting in follow-up episodes (much like NBC’s under-produced Kings) and the absolute-devoid-of-any-PLOT factor has plunked you in the dust where you belong.

Lost is considering bringing back it’s fiery perpetually seizing redhead!

March 16, 2010 – The popular ABC show is in talks with Rebecca Mader, who played the scientist Charlotte Lewis for 19 episodes before they killed her off. But in that odd way Lost has, The Island is thinking of bringing her back.

The rumor going around now is that Mader’s character is potentially the mother of Jack’s odd-looking (but musically gifted) kid, but the actress laughed off the idea and wanted to know if she needed some face cream. Woops, she’s only 30.

Regardless, ABC is back in casting mode along with the other major pilots of the season — but it seems as though most of the actors being reined in are big players.

2010 marks woe to the up-and-coming actor.

Hey up-and-coming actors who train for five years and don’t get cast, we’re going to tell you something to really piss you off today.

Elisabetta Canalis, a star only because she and her gigantic rump are fornicating with George Clooney on a regular basis, is going to guest star on the TNT show Leverage. No, not just stick-her-with-an-under-5-and-be-done-with it, but a nice acting heavy guest star over FIVE EPISODES.

The show, starring Timothy Hutton, is going on season five.

Canalis, who’s a tv-presenter “slash” actress over in Italy, will be playing… shock… The Italian. At least they didn’t give the media tabloid brunette an actual name to grace her ever-growing-star-screwing IMDB profile.

Really think those $35 one-on-ones are working for you now, guys?  Think again how to really get cast.

The Oscar winning star has not only agreed to sign onto the new HBO thoroughbred racing series, Luck, but he’s also inking his signature to direct a new BBC Comedy. With the turning out of shows like Survivors (if you haven’t seen this, Google it now), we’re becoming ever-impressed with the British Broadcast folks.

The 72-year-old actor will make his directorial debut on a show called Quartet, which will star Maggie Smith, Albert Finney, and Tom Courenay. It revolves around the opera scene, and is based off of a stage comedy by Ronaold Harwood (who also penned The Pianist).

Finola Dwyer (a producer on Oscar-nominee An Education), is also in talks to work on the project.

The Precious star and her loud-mouthed, annoying personality are going to be starring in “The Big C”, a pilot that will inevitably get canceled and that is (to our shock) being helmed by Showtime.

Did someone get fired at our usually beloved pay-per view? Did someone DIE and let an IDIOT make this casting decision?

The show, will also star Laura Linney (as an equally depressed and repressed housewife wanting to claw her way out of the suburbs), along with Oliver Platt, Gabriel Basso, and John Benjamin Hickey.

At least Sidibe will be playing a role that embodies her in real life: a smart aleck, full-of-herself, ball of YOU IRK ME.

We hope you know what you’re doing, Showtime.

HBO’s Luck might be saddling a new star.

Nick Nolte is rumored to be in negotiations to star in extremely hush-hush pilot, starring Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, of all people. Notle, who began his career in television many years ago with his breakthrough in Rich Man, Poor Man — is getting ready to ride some horsies.

The pilot is said to be shooting on and near the Santa Anita racetrack in California, and will be starring the aforementioned Hoffman, as well as Dennis Farina and John Oritz.

We’re still waiting to hear who the first female star will be… perhaps a talented unknown?

We can practically hear the actors praying to Casting outside our office. It’s Bonnie Timmerman who you want to stalk, guys. Uh — but not literally — send her a headshot and 10 Reasons You Deserve To Guest Star Opposite Hoffman.