Former Battlestar Galactica star Katee Sackhoff will take the female lead in the new small-town sheriff pilot Longmire for A&E.
According to Deadline, Sackhoff is the latest star to join the rapidly growing cast, which also recently added ‘80s film staple Lou Diamond Phillips, as well as television actors Bailey Chase and Cassidy Freeman.
Starring Robert Taylor (The Matrix), Longmire is based on the Walt Longmire Mystery series of novels by Wyoming-cop-turned-novelist, Craig Johnson. In both the novels and the pilot, Longmire is a charming individual dedicated to upholding the law in Absaroka County (located near Yellowstone, in the northwestern part of the state). Having been recently widowed, Longmire conceals his pain through clever witticisms and by burying himself in his work.
Sackhoff will play Vic, who, after working as a Philadelphia homicide detective for the past few years, has been transplanted to Wyoming as one of Walt’s new deputies. As fans have come to expect from Sackhoff, with her roles on Battlestar Galactica, 24 and CSI, the actress’ character will find herself in a male-dominated profession where her looks could be considered a detriment, if not for her overwhelming competence on the job. Of course, there will be plenty of romantic tension between Walt and Vic, beneath the witty repartee that exists between them.
While Sackhoff’s casting is the biggest news surrounding the series thus far (perhaps because she didn’t jump into Ron Moore’s 17th Precinct with the rest of her BSG shipmates), the rest of Longmire’s cast is being rounded out quite nicely.
Bailey Chase of TNT’s Saving Grace will join Sackhoff and Taylor as Longmire’s other deputy, while the aforementioned Phillips will make a quick jump from playing soldier on the soon-to-be-ending SGU Stargate Universe to playing Walt Longmire’s best friend. Meanwhile, Smallville’s very own Tess Mercer (Freeman) will be Walt’s daughter.
Longmire sounds a lot like FX’s Justified, in both concept and origin (also having been adapted from a pre-existing story). While this could undermine the show’s chances at a series order, it’s more likely that A&E believes any similarity will compel fans of the Timothy Olyphant hit to tune in to their modern day western.