The casting news is flying today! Earlier, we posted the additions to a couple ABC pilots, now we have an update on the ones for the CW network. It looks like they’ve finally cast the male lead for their version of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and have added a couple more characters to their superhero pilot ‘Arrow’.

‘Beauty and the Beast’

Kristin Kreuk now has her beast and it’s in the form of New Zealand actor Jay Ryan in the CW’s version of ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

Fans of the Fox show ‘Terra Nova’ may recognize Ryan as he played Curran, the security guard who was banished for murdering a fellow colony member. Ryan has also appeared in an episode of ‘Legend of the Seeker’ and has starred in several Australian television series such as ‘Sea Patrol’ and ‘Neighbours’ and in the New Zealand series ‘Go Girls.’

The CW’s version of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a reboot of the popular 1980’s CBS version that starred Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman. In this modern update, Ryan will play Vincent Koslow, the survivor of a military experiment that went disastrously wrong. According to plot details from Movie Hole, Vincent used to be a New York University Hospital doctor and became injured while working during the Twin Towers attack. While at a medical clinic, they inject him with a DNA changing drug but it turns him into a super soldier. He is sent to Afghanistan to fight but while there, realizes that the drug’s side effects cause his features to change and hair to grow everywhere on his body. When he returns to the States, he decides to hide from society with the help of his best friend T.J. (played by Austin Basis).

Sometime during this timeline, Vincent saves Catherine (who will be played by Kreuk) when she was a young child involved in an accident that killed her mother. Years later, Catherine finds out that the “Beast” that saved her is really Vincent and she becomes the protector of his life as a secret superhero.

I don’t know how I quite feel about this version of ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ It will be interesting to see how the make-up department will work their magic on Ryan to make him look disfigured enough to have us believe why he wants to be hidden but still be attractive enough to draw the 18-29 year old demographics.

Source: Deadline

‘Arrow’

In other CW casting news, two new additions were made to the ‘Arrow’ family.

The first is Jamey Sheridan who will probably be considered as a recurring guest role if the pilot goes to series.  He is pegged to play Robert Queen, father of Oliver (played by Stephen Amell) and ex-husband of Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson).

If Sheridan looks familiar, it’s because he played Randall Flag in the 1994 tele-version of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand.’ He’s also starred in the movie ‘Syriana’ and has appeared in numerous television series such as ‘Law and Order: Criminal Intent’, ‘Trauma,’ and ‘Homeland.’

Also set to co-star in the pilot is Paul Blackthorne. Blackthorne will play Detective Quentin Lance, father of Dinah Laurel Lance (played by Katie Cassidy).  Detective Lance is described as a “gruff no nonsense officer who believes true justice can only come from law and order. He’s in charge of bringing the vigilante known as The Arrow to justice.”

Blackthorne is the voice of Metallo/Henry Ackerson in the direct to DVD animated movie ‘Justice League: Doom’ and has starred in the series ‘The Gates’ and ‘The Dresden Files.’ He’s also appeared in the 2010 ‘Warehouse 13’ Christmas episode as well as guest arcs on ’24’, ‘Lipstick Jungle’, ‘White Collar’, and ‘Leverage.’

Currently, Blackthorne can be seen in the ABC mid-season show ‘The River’ as Clark Quietly. Because he is considered as a lead in ‘The River,’ Blackthorne’s appearance in ‘Arrow’ is being formally billed as a guest starring role.

I suspect that both pilots will start production soon and by May we’ll know which one made the cut. So what do you think of the cast choices of both shows so far?

Source: Deadline