Nellie Andreeva

Ugly Betty alum Michael Urie has landed one of the leads in CBS’ half-hour pilot Partners. The multicamera comedy, from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, centers on lifelong friends and business partners — one straight and one gay (Urie). Urie, repped by Gersh and Seven Summits, joins recently cast Sophia Bush, who plays the other guy’s fiance. James Burrows is directing. He currently stars on Broadway in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

Pooch Hall (The Game) has joined the cast of Showtime’s drama pilot Ray Donovan starring Liev Schreiber. Written by Ann Biderman and directed by Allen Coulter, the Showtime-produced project centers on Ray (Schreiber), a professional “fixer” for LA’s rich and famous who can make anyone’s problems disappear, except the ones created by his own family. Hall will play Daryll, a young fighter who trains at Terry Donovan’s Fite Club, a boxing gym owned by Ray’s brother (Eddie Marsan). Hall is best known for his role as professional football player Derwin Davis on The Game. He will continue on the hit BET comedy, but it will be in second position to Ray Donovan beyond the current fifth season. Hall, repped by Abrams Artists and attorney Jonathan Shikora, was recently seen in the feature Jumping The Broom, directed by The Game‘s Salim Akil, and just wrapped the indie Live at the Fox’s Den.

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