Nellie Andreeva

A week ago, Terriers co-star Laura Allen got good news when she was cast in a supporting role on NBC’s drama pilot REM. Today, which happens to be her birthday, she got even better news – in a pilot rarity, she was bumped up to female lead of the project opposite Jason Isaacs. Meanwhile, Law & Order: SVU alumna Michaela McManus, who tested opposite Allen for the supporting role of Tara, has now been cast in that role.

REM, from creator/executive producer Kyle Killen and 20th TV, is described as an Inception-style thriller and centers on Detective Michael Britten (Isaacs), who wakes up after an accident to find he is living in two different realities, one in which he has killed his son Rex (Dylan Minnette) and one in which he has killed his wife Hannah (Allen) in a car accident. McManus will play Rex’s tennis coach, who has become his confidante in the wake of the recent loss of his mother.

Trying out Allen for the Hannah role was an idea of former 24 showrunner Howard Gordon, who serves as exec producer/showrunner on the REM pilot. After what was described as a “terrific read” with Isaacs this afternoon, Allen landed the part. The cast of the pilot, directed/exec produced by David Slade, is now complete. It includes Isaacs, Allen, Cherry Jones, Steve Harris, Wilmer Valderrama, Minnette and McManus. REM reunites Allen, repped by Gersh and Impression Entertainment, with 20th TV whose cable division produced Terriers. McManus, repped by UTA and Principal Entertainment, currently recurs on CW’s The Vampire Diaries.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.