Rosemarie DeWitt Exits HBO’s ‘Newsroom’

Rosemarie DeWitt is leaving Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom. DeWitt was originally cast in November for a recurring role on the series’ upcoming second season. “As the production schedule for season two of The Newsroom has shifted, Rosemarie DeWitt has encountered scheduling conflicts and will no longer be able to continue in her role,” HBO said in a statement. DeWitt was to play Rebecca Halliday, a litigator who’s been hired to defend the fictional Atlantis Cable News channel, where the show is set, in a multimillion-dollar wrongful-termination suit. I hear she filmed some scenes but her storyline subsequently underwent changes which required reshoots. While series regulars are tied to a show, for recurring guest stars, the gigs are subject to the actors’ availability, and I hear DeWitt was no longer available. The role is now being recast. Meanwhile, DeWitt is heading to Sundance for the premiere of her movie Touchy Feely. She also continues to do promotional work for awards contender Promised Land.