30 Rock
Casting News

James Franco will soon have all possible fan bases covered.

The movie star shocked followers a few weeks ago when he signed on for a multiple-episode arc on General Hospital, which gets underway on November 20.

With the housewife demographic under his belt, the actor is now set on locking in primetime viewers with a sense of humor: he'll also guest star on upcoming 30 Rock episodes.

As first reported by Entertainment Weekly, Franco will appear on the sitcom as himself, as he starts up a fake romance with Jane Krakowski’s Jenna; an arrangement engineered by their respective agents.

In other, quasi 30 Rock news: Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy) will co-host the 2010 Academy Awards with Steve Martin. We hope he makes at least one reference to the event's microwave division.

As we reported earlier, Jack and Liz will hook up on 30 Rock this week.

Porn Jack and Porn Liz, that is.

Adult film star Savanna Samson will cross over into the mainstream with an upcoming appearance on Emmy Award-winning NBC comedy as the XXX version of Liz Lemon.

If you're wondering how this came about, Tracy gets upset at real Liz for a comment about him in her new book, so he buys the rights to her life story in retaliation, and having done so, obviously decides to tell the story of Liz Lemon via pornographic film.

Samson, a New Yorker, has been a fan of Fey since she was on Saturday Night Live. "My entire experience working with 30 Rock was fun from beginning to end,” she said.

“It's really an honor to play the porn version of the Tina Fey character as I've admired her for years on Saturday Night Live and I love what she's done with this series.”

Samson’s latest film is I Was a Teenage MILF, available via Vivid Entertainment. Can you really be a MILF if you're a teen, even if it's technically true? Come on Vivid.

A pair of veteran soap opera stars are coming to primetime.

Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso, who have played Bo and Hope Brady on Days of Our Lives since 1983, will guest star on a future episode of 30 Rock.

No information yet on the characters they'll portray or the date on which they'll air, but this should be a nice plug for the NBC daytime drama.

30 Rock has already tapped the star of Mad Men as on of Liz Lemon's neighbors.

Now, they've stolen a former Daily Show correspondent for a similar role.

On the sixth episode of the fall, Nate Corddry will portray Liz’s upstairs neighbor, Brian.

The actor - most recently seen as  Gene Stuart on Showtime’s United States of Tara — will but heads with Tina Fey's character, as Liz Lemon wants Brian to move out so she can buy his space.

As you might expect, Michael Ausiello reports, her plans hits a major snag. 30 Rock finally returns with new episodes next week.

Might Jenna Maroney soon fall for a Broadway star?

Earlier this week, Tina Fey revealed that Jane Krakowski's character would get a love interest on the new season of 30 Rock, as the show's head writer said a "wonderful actor" was about to be locked into the role.

While he's not well known outside Broadway, Cheyenne Jackson certainly fits that description.

E! News reports that the thespian is in talks to join the sitcom's cast in a recurring role, although a rep for NBC says: "The show is not commenting on any castings. Sorry about that."

Jackson has played key parts in well-reviewed plays such as Xanadu and All Shook Up. He'll next take on the lead role in an anticpiated production of Finian's Rainbow.

He sings. Jenna sings. Seems like a match made in (hopefully hilarious) heaven to us!

We love Betty White and all. We're sure she'll make a funny 30 Rock guest star.

But the fact that show writers spoke to a different celebrity backstage at this year's Emmy Awards has us really excited. According to E! News, a scribe approached Justin Timberlake and said:

"Justin, man, we need to figure out a way to get you on 30 Rock."

The singer's response, reportedly, was positive. How great would that be?!?

Star Alec Baldwin, conversely, was less excited about the idea of bringing Twilight star Robert Pattinson on board. When asked about that possibility, the actor said:

"Uh... I don't know. I'm sure shows like Desperate Housewives want him. There's no shortage of opportunities for him. But our writers don't write for stars, with one exception, and that would be Oprah."

And Timberlake, they hope.

She's not as big of a name as Oprah Winfrey - but who is?

Betty White will portray herself on an episode of 30 Rock this fall. The former Golden Girls star joins a long line of guest stars on the sitcom that's included Oprah, Steve Martin, Elaine Stritch, Alan Alda, Tim Conway, Megan Mullally and Jennifer Aniston.

Said Alec Baldwin of the casting decision:

"We all put names in a hat, and we took a vote - if you could have one guest star for the whole season, who would it be. And Betty White was the winner."

The new season of 30 Rock premieres on October 15. Baldwin's Jack Donaghy might get married at some point during it.