Series 'Hemlock Grove', Pilots 'Malibu Country' & Louis CK/Feresten Add To Casts

Australian actress Penelope Mitchell has been cast in a regular role in Netflix’s new original series Hemlock Grove, from Eli Roth and Gaumont International TV, joining previously cast Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgard and Landon Liboiron. Written by Brian McGreevey and Lee Shipman based on McGreevy’s upcoming goth horror novel, Hemlock Grove revolves around the murder of a young girl found close to the former Godfrey steel mill. The suspects in her killing include Peter (Liboiron), a 17-year-old Gypsy kid from the wrong side of the tracks, and Roman (Skarsgard), the arrogant Godfrey scion, whose sister Shelley is disturbingly deformed and whose mother, Olivia (Janssen), the beautiful and controlling grand dame of Hemlock Grove. In the end, Peter and Roman decide to find the killer themselves. Mitchell, repped by APA and Australia’s JM Agency, will play Roman’s cousin, Letha Godfrey.

Jeffrey Nordling has been cast as a recurring in ABC’s network’s comedy pilot Malibu Country, which centers on Reba Gallagher (McEntire) who, after her “good ol boy” country star husband (Nordling) cheats on her and burns through most of their money, divorces him and moves her family from Nashville to the only asset she has left — a little house in Malibu. Reba’s ex Russell eventually returns to claim his wife and family back.  Nordling, repped by APA, recurs on ABC’s Body Of Proof and co-stars opposite Melanie Griffith in the Lifetime pilot American Housewife. 

Ryan Hansen has been cast in CBS’ untitled Louis CK/Spike Feresten multicamera comedy pilot, an ensemble of young people trying to achieve their creative dreams in these tough financial times. It centers on Fred (Dan Byrd), a bright but broke film editor who serves as a sardonic observer of people and their foibles. Hansen will play one of the co-lead roles in the ensemble, Fred’s best friend and roommate, a stoner musician. This is the second pilot for Party Down alum Hansen, who plays the lead in the Fox comedy El Jefe. Because of that, his billing on the CBS pilot is as a guest star with an option to become a regular in second position to El Jefe. The situation is similar to that of Sara Rue, co-star of the ABC comedy pilot Malibu Country, who was recently added to NBC’s Jimmy Fallon comedy pilot as a guest star, replacing regular Courtney Henggeler, who was recast.