When it comes to new regulars and guest stars on upcoming television shows, we've got a lot of news to report this week - including casting updates for Game of Thrones, Southland, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Terra Nova, and American Horror Story.
Let's get started.
Game of Thrones
HBO's well-received fantasy epic is currently filming its second season. Major book characters Stannis, Davos, Melisandre, Brienne and Margaery have already been cast, but new info out of the UK indicates that two more have been added.
The first is Yara Greyjoy, known to A Song of Ice and Fire readers as Asha. She's the headstrong sister of Season 1's Theon, who will be making her own power plays during the second season. Relative newcomer Gemma Whelan (above left) has secured the part, after small supporting roles in the Jack Black vehicle Gulliver's Travels and The Wolfman in 2010.
The second major addition to report is Jaqen H'ghar, a fan-favorite mystery man who plays an important role in Season 2 of Game of Thrones. The character is one of the criminals being escorted to the Wall in Arya's party. German actor Tom Wlaschiha (above right) of Valkyrie and Munich will play the foreign character.
Source: TVLine, Winter Is Coming
Southland
TNT's gritty take on the LAPD is preparing for its fourth season, and it won't be wanting for high-profile guests. Starlet Lucy Liu (above center) will join the cast for a season-long arc as a police officer. Fresh-off of a voice-acting role in Kung Fu Panda 2, Southland will be Liu's first major recurring TV role since Dirty Sexy Money in 2008. Liu's breakout role was a regular on Fox's Ally McBeal in 1998.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Despite some high-profile losses for NBC's last remaining member of the Law & Order family, SVU is still adding notable actors and actresses for its upcoming 13th season. Most notable is Law & Order veteran Linus Roache who will reprise his role as Michael Cutter - now a District Attorney Bureau Chief.
Joining him for at least one episode will be former Grey's Anatomy regular T.R. Knight. He played George O'Malley, the romantic interest of Callie (and Meredith, and Izzie, and Lexie...) across five seasons, ending the role after a "trust issues" with the series creator in 2008. Knight's first TV role after leaving Grey's Anatomy will be one of SVU's many serial killers.
Source: TV Line
Terra Nova
Fox's mega-sci-fi Terra Nova will count Aussie Ashley Zukerman among its recurring characters - sometime in 2012. The actor will play Lucas, a young man somehow connected to Commander Taylor. Zukerman is best known in the US for his work on HBO's The Pacific, though he's far more prolific in his native country for police drama Rush. Joining Zukerman will be fellow Australian Emelia Burns, who'll play a female soldier in Taylor's unit.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
American Horror Story
FX announced an initial season order for American Horror Story from Glee head honcho Ryan Murphy just last month. Among the first guest stars will be Jamie Harris, who's scheduled for a Season 1 arc as a currently unnamed character. He recently starred as a pseudo-villain in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Source: TV Guide