Shelter - CW JJ Abrams pilot casts its lead roles with unknowns
24 Mar 2012
Pilot ShowsNewcomer Hannah New and Eka Darville have landed lead roles in the CW’s Mark Schwahn/J.J. Abrams drama pilot Shelter. Produced by Warner Bros TV, Shelter is set at historic New England summer resort Shelter Bay where the new and returning staff attend to the practical, emotional and often comical needs of the guests while navigating friendships, rivalries and romances of their own. New will play the lead role of Kathryn Gilchrist, who is at Shelter Bay for her wedding. This marks the first acting gig in her native language for English-born New, who recently graduated from London’s Central School of Speech and Drama with a Masters with Distinction. Fluent in Spanish and Catalan, New began her acting career in Spain where she will next be seen in the 11-part period mini-series El Tiempo Entre Costuras (The Time Between) on Spain’s Antena 3. She is repped by UK’s Creative Artists Management, manager Stacey Castro and attorney Lev Ginsburg. Aussie Darville, managed by Peter McGrath, will play Bobby Repeta, a local who lives at Shelter Bay year-round and works at the bay as a fisherman. Newcomer Elizabeth Henstridge was previously cast as the manager of the inn.
Source:Deadline
New England summer resort? Doesn't sound very exciting...
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for more info on the Abrams-Kripke pilot.
Sounds boring but with J.J. who knows, can be the show of the year.
ReplyDeleteThis really intrigues me!
ReplyDeleteCasting unknowns is a hit or miss prospect to be sure, but I love having fresh faces in shows since the same old faces gets boring to me. Also it's hard to "un-see" certain actors from their iconic roles...
I also really like the more limited premise. I think "epic" series have a far larger chance of failing in general. They cost too much and are too often limited in the viewer demographic. A more intimate look at average people sounds far more exciting to me! Most of the best shows on TV are about average people and not some super-human, or super-situation....
That said, if the CW goes adds in its traditional love triangles and teen melodrama I'm out.
Smart choice to go with new talent!
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty much the way JJ works. He always casts an up-and-coming female for the lead, like he did with Jennifer Garner, Evangerline Lilly, Anna Torv, Rebecca Madsen and Gugu Mbatha-Raw
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment.
ReplyDeleteI think the sort of big conspiracy ( government/alien/mysterious ) story-arcs have gotten a bit stale, due simply to over-use.
Perhaps something more down to earth can be made just as interesting.
I'm all for new faces and the actress' name leaves me open to this horrible pun- "out with the old and in with the New" (cowers!)
I can't remember rightly but I believe Jennifer Garner was new to the screen at the time and look how well she turned out in Alias.
That series will always have a little corner of my heart. :)
So we'll wait and see how this goes!
And why not it worked very well in all of his other shows.
ReplyDeleteNo time travels and space continuum breaches?
ReplyDeleteOh they're there, do not worry! XD
ReplyDeleteIt may seem like a non-time-travel series and then someone will cut their hair and next season they will go back in time
This show has had absolutely NO buzz whatsoever. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if it gets picked up come upfronts in May.
ReplyDeleteThe pilots most likely to be ordered to series by The CW are The Selection, Carrie Diaries and Arrow. And I think Beauty and the Beast has a good chance too
You mean Sarah Jones. Rebecca Madsen is her character's name in Alcatraz. And also Keri Russell got her big start from Felicity, and Jennifer Garner guested in that before he chose her for Sydney Bristow in Alias. But anyway, I agree. For me, Anna Torv is seriously a great find. After Fringe I'd hope she'll get much more work in the states and more (deserved) recognition.
ReplyDeleteMy mistake. I don't watch Alchtraz, so I just wrote down the first name I remembered. I know Keri starred in Malibu Shore, so I didn't add that to the list, and I don't think people count Dude, Where's my car in Jen's CV.
ReplyDeleteHa! I can't imagine there won't be some mild elements of something...
ReplyDeleteDeadline had photos of Darville and New...They're rather attractive, but I can't get over Darville's characters last name, "Repeta"! --It sound like a pun on "repeating things"' and also similar sounding to Lapidus....But I am intrigued he is a local fisherman...