Smash Casting Scoop: Who is Out?
Three are coming, four are going.
With Smash Season 2 set to welcome three new regulars, Entertainment Weekly has broken the news that four regulars from the show's uneven opening season will lose their status when Smash returns in early 2013. They are:
- Jaime Cepero (Ellis, much to the non-chagrin of TV Fanatic staff members)
- Raza Jaffrey (Dev)
- Brian D'Arcy James (Frank)
- Will Chase (Michael)
It's unknown at the moment whether any of these actors will even make a season two appearance, but expect the news of Ellis' departure to be met with the same reaction as Dan Harmon exiting Community.
Only the exact opposite.
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.
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July 7th, 2012 2:28 PM
It seems inevitable that the next season of Smash would have to make these kinds of changes in cast. Season 1 to me is a complete entity in itself. We were taken on a voyage the production of a, and hoperfully actual broadway musical with no stone in the process left unturned. It is great to rewatch. Like all great art the more you look at it the more there is to see. To me there were only 2 characters; The Story and the Music. All scenes fit perfectally into place and in the end it didn"t matter who plays Marilyn. Megan Hilty is apples and Kristen Mc Phee is oranges. Though if it were up to me I would like to see the later in an actual Broadway production first run Than see the professional Megan work her craft on the long run post production. So we say goodbye to 4 characters. Let' say nothing changes in season 2 and all the characters stay. Ellis had the greatest potential to really be a realistic well developed character. I think he had copywrites in place well before the Workshop
June 26th, 2012 6:21 PM
Why is everyone so happy that Ellis is gone? His reason for being there is to stir up trouble. I loved the way he squirmed his way around the cast and got himself into trouble
June 23rd, 2012 3:05 PM
No, please don't let Will Chase go!!! Find some way to bring him back, he has a lot of fans out here. What talent! What a voice! I could listen to him all day. Please NBC, bring back Will Chase. The others, they were all a good part in the show, especially Dev and Frank but put Will Chase back in there!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 28th, 2012 9:03 AM
Ellis - no problem - PLEASE leave.
Raza Jaffrey???? Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! He's a great talent and I was so pleased that he finally got a song and dance number!
Will Chase - great voice - Sorry to see him leave.
Frank??? On the fence about that one.
May 24th, 2012 5:45 PM
YIPEEEEEE Ellis is gone. Not only did I hate the character, I didn't think the actor was so hot. Dev is too weak for Karen. The others I could care less about.
I love Angelica Houston in anything she is in. I like Debra Messing, I just think she's better in a comedy.
May 24th, 2012 12:44 PM
I'm not surprised the characters of Ellis, Dev and Michael are being written out of the show. It seemed at the end of the season the sub-plots involving them were pretty much done. But Frank? It seemed as if he and Julia were going to stay together, even with his momentary jealousy over seeing Julia comforting Michael in the season finale (definitely understood his reaction given what he had just been through). So is he going to die suddenly or what? I'll be really sorry to see him go. I guess I kind of like seeing one relationship on a show come through the storm and survive, while everyone elses' are crumbling and you need a software program to keep up with who is sleeping with who.
May 24th, 2012 12:29 PM
I'm really happy Ellis is gone, but I don;t get why both Frank and Michael are both gone. I really liked Will Chase in Smash, but his affair with Julia was tragic. Also kinda abrupt end for Karen and Dev.
BTW, wasn't Frank supposed to become a regular since season 2?
May 23rd, 2012 1:34 PM
Can Frank take Leo with him!? Yikes, if there is a character that needs to go it's him.
Rank: Regular Character
May 23rd, 2012 11:59 AM
Happy that Ellis is gone.
Disappointed that Dev, Michael are gone. It is a very abrupt ending for Karen and Dev and why is Frank leaving? He and Julia just got back together.
I really like Will Chase so I am sad he is gone.
Rank: Recurring Character
May 23rd, 2012 11:16 AM
This is good news. But, not great news. Great news for fans would be that we actually SEE Ellis' demise. If he's gotta go, make his exit be BIG so we can all cheer. A piano dropping from on high, cuffed & carted off to jail with an assault charge on his head, pushed by Eileen in front of a subway - all of these would make very good exit scenes. Thank you for listening to us!