Korbi TV: Fall Casting Coups

Jimmy Smits joins "Dexter." Lisa Bonet begins "Life on Mars." And Katie Holmes chills with "Eli Stone." As the huge fall casting news started rolling in, we turned to our good friend and TV expert extraordinaire Korbi Ghosh (Korbi TV on Zap2it.com) for all of the hottest details -- and lucky for us she offered to share her delicious discoveries with you! From Nicole Richie's "Chuck" fight scene (in a shower!) to Jennifer Aniston going psycho over on "30 Rock," click through this slideshow to see the scoop that Korbi scored. And get the inside info on your favorite shows all year round by searching KORBI TV.Saturday, August, 23, 2008, 12:23 AM

When the casting directors of "Chuck" said they were looking for an actress who could play the mean girl who tortured Sarah (Yvonne Stahovski) in high school, Nicole Richie's people knew she'd be perfect for the role. Richie auditioned for executive producer Josh Schwartz who says she was very funny right off the bat. I'm told Nicole's character and her young husband -- played by "Boy Meets World's" Ben Savage! -- will bring more to the table than first meets the eye. Let's just say Harlow's new mommy and Sarah may have a shower fight scene with a lot at stake. Also stopping by the "Chuck" set this season will be Jordana Brewster, playing the girl who broke Chuck's heart back in the day. Schwartz says Jordana's character, Jill, is the first real threat for Sarah in terms of Chuck's affection. And keep your eyes peeled for The "O.C.'s" Melinda Clarke, who'll be mixing it up with John Larroquette, movie star Michael Clarke Duncan, who's playing a baddie, and football great Michael Strahan as the manager of a sporting goods store who spends his lunch breaks playing Madden and making a mess at The Buy More. Maybe Buster Bluth will set him straight. "Arrested Development's" Tony Hale is also jumping on board the "Chuck" train as the new manager of the Nerd Herd.John - Wednesday, August, 20, 2008, 7:20 PM

Struggling ratings-wise, but still emerging as a creatively strong series last spring, "Eli Stone" was looking for a way to draw new viewers when executive producer Greg Berlanti offered to call an old pal. Having worked with Katie Holmes on "Dawson's Creek" back in the day, Berlanti was able to recruit Mrs. Cruise for a season-premiere guest spot. "I went and I begged her, and she said, 'I'd love to,'" Berlanti shares. She's playing an attorney, but doesn't practice law in the episode. She will, however, be singing and dancing. Says Berlanti, "She's doing a lot of work in the episode. She's in a significant portion of it. She's an incredible actress and a good friend."ABC/Karen Neal - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

With the anticipated departure of series star William Petersen later this year, "CSI's" producers made no secret of their desire to land acclaimed actor Laurence Fishburne to fill the hole. Lucky for them, Fishburne was game and will make his first appearance in this season's ninth episode, playing a former pathologist turned college professor, currently teaching a criminalistics course. His special qualifications draw him in to help Grissom with a case, and this case will pave the way for Grissom's leave. Of course, Fishburne's character is said to have a bit of an edge. A CBS rep explains, "His focus is on understanding criminal behavior, how and why people commit acts of violence -- tendencies he disturbingly sees within himself." Jason Kempin/Wireimage.com - Saturday, August, 23, 2008, 12:23 AM

Considering the comedy series is currently up for seven guest-acting Emmy nominations, Jennifer Aniston has made a good career move by signing on to appear in a "30 Rock" episode this fall. Sources tell me exclusively that Aniston will play Liz (Tina Fey) and Jenna's (Jane Krakowski) old Chicago roommate who pays the girls a visit in the Big Apple. While there, she'll fall into bed with Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) and go a bit psycho over him. In addition to Aniston, fans can expect several other celeb cameos and guest spots this season, including the return of Will Arnett's Emmy-nommed Devon Banks, who is supposedly "gayer than ever" this time around!James Devaney/WireImage.com - Tuesday, September, 9, 2008, 7:9 PM

If last year's "Dexter" theme was "good versus evil," this year's theme is "family values," and Jimmy Smits' character, Miguel Prado, has a lot to do with that. Executive producer Clyde Phillips likens Prado, an assistant district attorney in Miami, with political aspirations, to L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: "He's Cuban, very popular, he wants the streets clean and safe and pure." Prado and Dexter meet because of a murder Dex commits, and there's a very interesting twist -- which we won't spoil -- that draws them together. Phillips says Prado becomes like the older brother that Dexter really wants: "He's a little more established, a little more of a family man, and it's all the stuff that Dexter longs for. They end up forming a very deep bond of friendship. Dexter's never really had a friend before, so that becomes very important to him as he explores those emotions." As the writers developed the character of Prado and talked about his power and appeal, the only name that ever came up was Jimmy Smits. "We were just so fortunate to get him," Phillips tells us. "He's been spectacular. He brings his game every day and elevates the cast and the crew to a new level." Also a guest this season is Anne Ramsay from "Mad About You." She's playing a defense attorney who's actually an adversary of Miguel Prado's. She and Lt. Laguerta (Lauren Velez) become really tight, which should make things at Miami Metro even more interesting.CBS/Peter Iovino - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

Show creator Sean Smith was surfing the net a few weeks back when he came upon a gossip column that quoted "The Hills"' star Lauren Conrad saying that "GR∑∑K" was one of her favorite series. As a serious "Hills" fan himself -- and totally Team Lauren, we're told -- Smith sent "GR∑∑K's" casting directors on a mission to find out if Conrad would be interested in being a guest. She was down, under one condition: She didn't want to act, but was cool with playing herself. A show insider tells us Conrad's appearance will be brief, appearing at the end of the season in one of Casey's (Spencer Grammer) dreams. Remember how Lauren had to choose between an internship in Paris and a summer at the beach with her boyfriend back in season one of "The Hills"? Well, it looks like Casey will have a similar dilemma, and her dream leads her to think, what would L.C. do? Not sure if Lauren's experience will influence Casey, but we hear the advice of Carol Potter's character, a ZBZ alum, will. "GR∑∑K's" rep says the "90210" vet is playing a pivotal part in Casey's future. And she isn't the only ZBZ alum hanging out. Charisma Carpenter will return in the show's premiere and later in the season for another surprise appearance. Steve - Wednesday, August, 20, 2008, 7:20 PM

Show producers are keeping mum on Lucy Liu's "Dirty Sexy Money" character, Nola Lyons, but inside sources tell me she's an attorney, just like Peter Krause's character, Nick George, with whom she has a past. I had the chance to speak with Liu who told me their relationship is a bit contentious, but that doesn't mean there's no possibility of romance between the two. "Anything is possible," she said. But upon further investigation, I found that Nola -- who actually works for the District Attorney's office and will have a hand in prosecuting Letitia Darling for the murder of Nick's dad (Nick will be Letitia's defense lawyer, btw) -- is doing the nasty with Jeremy Darling!ABC/Randee St. Nicholas - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

Brenda Walsh back in the "90210" neighborhood? Yes, the long-time dream of every "Beverly Hills" fan will be realized this fall when Shannen Doherty reprises her role on the CW's spin-off of the popular '90s series. Playing the director of West Beverly High's school play, we're told Bren will butt heads with the school's guidance counselor, one Ms. Kelly Taylor. Word is Jennie Garth -- who will appear regularly on the show -- and Doherty are totally game to poke fun at their reported real-life rivalry. Bringing back memories of the Dylan McKay debacle, their beloved characters will be fighting over West Bev's young lacrosse coach ("Dirt"'s Ryan Eggold) and arguing a bit about a certain dude from their past. Other 90120 vets appearing on the show? Joe E. Tata as Peach Pit proprietor, Nat, and Ann Gillespie as Kelly's former cokehead mom, Jackie. Remember how she and David's dad had a baby back in the day? Well, that little girl is all grown up and going to high school now…The CW/Michael Desmond - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

Lisa Bonet joins the cast of ABC's British remake, "Life on Mars" playing the leading man's present-day lady. Bonet's character, Maya, is grabbed by a serial killer, but when her boyfriend -- a police detective played by Jason O'Mara -- is hit by a car and wakes up in 1973, he knows he has the power to change the course of events that led to her disappearance. Meanwhile, he's receiving haunting and romantic dispatches from her over the TV and radio. "We are huge fans of Lisa," executive producer Josh Appelbaum tells us. "We hadn't seen her in a while and thought, someone's going to bring her back and we'll be pissed that it wasn't us, so we met with her and she was totally down." As for the series' other big names -- Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli -- the producers are over the moon. "We kept saying, we need a Harvey Keitel type and a Michael Imperioli type, so having them is a dream beyond dreams," Appelbaum says. "Keitel's role is sort of like an homage to his entire body of work... and to get Michael, coming off 'The Sopranos'! The cool thing about [his character] is it's a complete 180 from Christopher Moltisanti: Long hair, a mustache, he looks like Serpico."ABC/Patrick Harbron - Wednesday, September, 3, 2008, 8:3 PM

Remember Denny Duquette, Izzie's love who tragically died at Seattle Grace a couple seasons ago? "Grey's Anatomy" hasn't seen the last of him. Show creator Shonda Rhimes is bringing actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan back in this season's premiere, though she's not saying in what capacity. Will there be flashbacks? Visions? Or does Denny just happen to have an identical twin brother? We asked writer-producer Betsy Beers what she could spill regarding JDM's return and she said, "Absolutely nothing! But it is going to be great, wait and see." As for the addition of Kevin McKidd of " Journeyman," Beers tells us he's playing a military surgeon--a kick-ass guy who really doesn't care what anyone thinks of him: "Seattle Grace has never seen a doctor quite like this one." Other big names on board for the premiere are Bernadette Peters, Kathy Baker, and Mariette Hartley. The three actresses will appear as friends who require medical care.ABC/Ron Tom - Wednesday, September, 3, 2008, 8:3 PM

Playing a hard-nosed doc who comes to "ER's" after spending the last three years in Indonesia doing tsunami relief work, Angela Bassett's character, Cate Banfield, is said to have a troubled past. Inside sources tell me she will be burdened by tension in her marriage, mostly due to her obsession with her medical career, though she and her husband -- played by real-life spouse Courtney B. Vance -- are also dealing with the heartbreaking death of their child. I'm told Vance's character, also a physician at the hospital, is a gentle man named Russell. He'll appear in at least three episodes this fall. Also joining ER for this final year will be four new young interns, including "Six Degrees'" Shiri Appleby and "Brothers & Sisters'" Emily Rose. Appleby will be one half of a brother-sister duo, who strives to do her best on the job, while Rose's character will reportedly be a bit of a headache for her County General co-workers.Jeffrey - Wednesday, August, 20, 2008, 7:20 PM

Replacing the departing Chris Noth, movie great Jeff Goldblum will join the Law & Order: CI team this season as a new detective. "Jeff's presence will add a new dimension to an already successful show," executive producer Dick Wolf said earlier this summer. We're hearing Goldblum will take on a major portion of the acting load, splitting screen time equally with series star Vincent D'Onofrio.Kevin - Wednesday, August, 20, 2008, 7:20 PM

"Gossip Girl's" Leighton Meester will reprise her role as Vince's former flame, Justine, in "Entourage's" second ep this sesaon -- I'm told she sends him into an insecure tailspin when she pawns him off on a friend at a party!Although he made a cameo in the series' pilot, Mark Wahlberg didn't feel complete until he shot an upcoming "Entourage" scene with Ari Gold. "This time, it's me and Piven going at it, so it was fun," the actor, who also executive produces the show, says. But Season 5’s star power does not stop there, as Vince and the crew welcome Bow Wow, Lukas Haas and Giovanni Ribisi as Eric's newest clients. Also keep your eyes peeled for Martin Landau, Fran Drescher, Tony Bennett, golfer Phil Mickelson, NBC network exec Ben Silverman, Jeffrey Tambor, rapper T.I., the co-hosts of "The View" (Drama's appearing on the show to promote Five Towns), and "The Sopranos'" Jamie Lynn-Sigler, who'll play herself.HBO/Doug Hyun - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

We're skipping five years into Wisteria Lane's future for the fifth season of "Desperate Housewives" and finding a single Susan Meyer (Teri Hatcher). Yes, she and Mike have split, and she's seeing a new guy. "Gale Harold is playing Susan's new love interest, and he's kind of an interesting artsy guy who's very different from [Mike]," show creator Marc Cherry shared. Cherry says the relationship will present her with challenges, since she's not even sure she's ready for a romantic commitment. As for "Desperate"'s new season-long stumper, Cherry told me to look out for actor Neal McDonough: "He's moving onto Wisteria Lane and will bring the mystery with him. He has revenge on his mind. I have been a fan of Neal's for years, and the coolest part of my job is I get to convince people whom I'm a fan of to come work for me." ABC/Ron Tom - Wednesday, September, 3, 2008, 8:3 PM

We first got to know Sarah Chalke as the "second Becky" on "Roseanne," later fell in love with her as Elliot on "Scrubs," and are psyched to have her back on "How I Met Your Mother"; as Ted's new fiancée this fall. Yes, that's right, Stella is saying "yes" to Ted's season finale cliffhanger proposal and will stick around for at least four episodes this season. "Beyond that, it's hard for us to know," show co-creator Carter Bays tells me, "since the future of 'Scrubs' (and therefore, her shooting schedule) is still unknown." But Bays assures me they have ideas for every contingency and have already decided whether or not Stella is the mother!CBS/Eric McCandless/FOX - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

With Michael, Linc, and crew out of prison, there's one main mission this season on "Prison Break": To bring the Company down. Enter Michael Rapaport. " He works for Homeland Security," " producer Zack Estrin tells me. "He has his own ideas about the Company and how they've got their fingers in everything. He realizes that you don't know who in the government could be involved with them, so he can't have the FBI or CIA involved in trying to take them out. Michael, Linc, and [the other cons] have proven capable, so he gives them the means necessary to do the job. He's kind of their handler for the season, an ally who they haven't had. Every other season, they've kind of been on their own, so this is a chance for them to have an ally with some resources." Also on board this year, Cress Williams -- you may know him as "90210"'s D'Shawn Hardell or Miranda's estranged hubby on "Grey's Anatomy" -- who will play the Company man on Michael's tail.FOX/Greg Gayne - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

According to executive producer Josh Schwartz, May-December romances are still hot, and "Gossip Girl's" Nate Archibald will prove it when he hooks up with a married lady in her late 30s -- played by Madchen Amick -- this fall. The socialite will show up in the season premiere and stick around for quite some time, as Nate is enamored at first... and then indebted. Plus, she's got ties to another new GG character, which will keep her in the mix. Also getting in on the Gossip action is "Project Runway's" Michael Kors, who'll appear on a Fashion Week-themed episode later this year. Kors is reportedly an avid fan of the series and was quoted as saying it's "the car-crash-that's-glamorous." He's been glued to the series since day one.The CW/ Giovanni Rufino - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

Back in May, we got a 30-second glimpse of Lindsay Lohan on "Ugly Betty," playing the mean-girl role she's just so good at. In a high school gym class flashback, LL's character picked Betty to be on her dodge ball team, then she instructed everyone to hide behind her, using Betty as a human shield. This month, Lohan will reprise the role, bounding into Betty's present-day life. Will there be more mean-girl antics? Indeed. We're hearing rumors of cafeteria food fights and uncontrollable cattiness. Linds will act in at least four episodes this fall. Also making an appearance are talk show hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, who'll play themselves, welcoming Mode editors Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) and Alexis (Rebecca Romijn) as guests on "Live With Regis and Kelly." And with the departure of Henry (Chris Gorham), "Ugly Betty" will have a new recurring character to fill Betty's romantic void. Val Emmich -- the cute, young kid who dated "cougar" Liz Lemon on "30 Rock" last year -- has been cast in the role.ABC/Karen Neal - Wednesday, September, 3, 2008, 8:3 PM

With Jay Mohr jumping ship to star in his own CBS show, "Gary Unmarried," "Ghost Whisperer" is welcoming a new leading man. Jamie Kennedy, who has been looking for a steady TV gig for some time now, will play a psychology grad student who becomes close with Jennifer Love Hewitt's Melinda Gordon. I'm told the cast and crew is thrilled to have Jamie on board, mostly because he's constantly making them laugh.CBS/Cliff Lipson - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

Appearing in the fourth episode of "Pushing Daisies" this season, David Arquette is playing Randy Mann, a quirky and socially incapable taxidermist who becomes the lead suspect in one of the crew's murder cases. Word is, Ned (Lee Pace) will invite Randy to hang with him at the Pie Hole, and while there, he'll discover that Randy has a special talent that's a bit like his own ability to wake the dead. Donato - Wednesday, August, 20, 2008, 7:20 PM

In an attempt to save her fashion design business, Victory (Lindsay Price) will hire a publicist, played by Rosie Perez, to help turn things around this fall. Perez will be in several episodes of "Lipstick Jungle" and is said to be having fun on set. Also appearing on the series this season is TV legend Mary Tyler Moore, who'll play Brooke Shields' mother, and James Lesure of "Las Vegas," who'll act as the boss of Shields' and Kim Raver's characters.NBC/Nicole Rivelli - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

Since "Brothers & Sisters"' Sarah kicked his character to the curb, Steven Weber's new schedule is allowing him to take on a four-episode "Without a Trace" stint. Word is, he'll play an adversary of Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia), usurping Malone's throne as head of the missing persons bureau.CBS/John Paul Filo - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM

With the departure of Michael's Dunder-Mifflin nemesis, Toby, came a new face: The Oscar-nominated Amy Ryan appeared as Toby's HR replacement, Holly, in last season's "The Office" finale and will reprise her role this fall. And though Michael's attraction to her will be somewhat tempered by Jan's pregnancy, all is not lost. "Office" writer Charlie Grandy tells us, "Holly will continue to charm Michael out of his belief that everyone in HR is evil as they further explore the boundaries between friends, co-workers, kindred spirits, and huge dorks." Ha! As for Rich Sommer of "Mad Men," who'll also be a guest, word is his character is somehow involved with Ms. Pam Beesly. Oh boy…NBC/Chris Haston - Tuesday, September, 2, 2008, 7:2 PM