Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Aisha Tyler has landed the lead opposite Laura Benanti on CBS’ comedy pilot Open Books, with Scott Foley also tapped aisha_tylerfoleyfor a major role. Open Books stars Benanti as June, a book editor at a boutique New York publishing house. Tyler will play her best friend, a waitress-actress. Foley will play a charismatic free-spirited writer who once had a fling with June. Foley will guest star as he is already a regular on another pilot, the ABC drama True Blue. Another CBS comedy pilot, Team Spitz, recently cast Sarah Chalke in a guest starring capacity as she also is a regular on an ABC pilot, comedy Freshman.

  • Fox’s untitled sketch comedy pilot from Jamie Foxx and MadTV creators Fax Bahr and Adam Small, has added  several more series regulars: Erica Ash (MadTV), Eric Andre, Kyle Dunnigan (Reno 911!) and Dana DeLorenzo. They join Affion Crockett.
  • CBS’ untitled Bays/Thomas pilot has tapped its last regular, Brandon Hardesty, who plays Lindsay Sloane’s younger brother.
  • ER alum Gil McKinney has been tapped for a heavily recurring role on the upcomingGil McKinney fifth (and likely last) season of Friday Night Lights. In at least six episodes, he will play a smart and attractive graduate teaching assistant in a college history department who is married, but, with his wife away on sabbatical, he strikes up a relationship with Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden) that will become more than professional.  McKinney is with Domain and Framework.

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