Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: In his first TV gig since the end of ABC’s Ugly Betty, the series’ standout Michael Urie has joined another hourlong comedy, the TBS pilot Brain Trust. He is one of three actors who have landed lead roles opposite star D.B Sweeney, along with Jed Rees and Lindy Booth. Meanwhile, Wynn Everett, William Ragsdale and Suzy Nakamura have joined TNT’s drama pilot Bird Dog starring Eliza Dushku in supporting roles.

Brain Trust centers on disgraced police detective Billy Doyle (Sweeney) whose work is helped and hindered by a brilliant, strange and lovable trio of uber-geeks from a local think tank: Professor Nelson Kirby (Rees), Professor Franklin Gordon (Urie) and Professor Monica Ashton (Booth). Urie, who is set to star in Angels in America on Broadway for a five-week run early next year, is with Gersh and Seven Summits; Rees with Fortitude and Principal.

Bird Dog centers on Gail McGrath (Eliza Dushku), a police officer in a small town whose NYC cop father becomes her partner. Everett will play a journalist; Ragsdale, repped by Stone Manners Salners and Gilbertson Entertainment, will play a local deputy; Nakamura will play the local Medical Examiner and Chief of Staff of the local hospital.

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