Melrose Place
Casting News

As Melrose Place bids farewell to one hunk (sorry, Colin Egglesfield), a rumor is spreading that it may have found its next one.

Nick Zano, who just complete filming as Courteney Cox's boy toy on Cougar Town, is in negotiations to join The CW reboot in a recurring role.

According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, Zano would portray a doctor who works with Lauren and Michael at Wilshire Memorial.

In an interview last week, executive producer Todd Slavkin described the character as “irreverent and funny.. He will move into the [apartment] building. He doesn’t take life very seriously. Medicine can be very fun as well as serious to him, and he ends up lightening up Lauren.”

So this is why The CW picked up Melrose Place for an additional five episodes.

TV critics were puzzled by the network's announcement yesterday, considering the abysmal ratings. But producers Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer clearly had a plan to improve the series, successfully pitched it and have now shared it with the world.

In a nutshell:

• Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield have been let go. They'll each wrap up their brief runs in January.
• The murder mystery storyline will be completed before the end of the year.
• New characters will be introduced and the show will take on a lighter tone.

Regarding all three changes, allow us to say: good calls!

Farewell, dead weight. Is Melrose Place making the right decision in dropping these stars?

Neither Simpson-Wentz nor Egglesfield can act (at all); the mystery of who killed Sydney is intriguing, but there's no consistency in how often the show chooses to focus on it; and this is Melrose Place. It should never take itself too seriously. Seriously, a sparrow's nest as an emotional prop?!?

Hopefully, these changes will result in an adult version of Gossip Girl, a series that is so outlandish, it's entertaining.

Regarding the ousting of Wentz and Egglesfield, as well as other topics, follow this article's jump for an interview with Slavkin.

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Death has already hit the new Melrose Place once, in the season's opening few minutes.

But E! News reports that a "big character" will join Sydney in the apartment complex in the sky before this season is over. Any guesses on who it might be?

We think Lauren is safe, but Stephanie Jacobsen's med student-turned-call-girl is in for a surprise of her own in the near future:

The series is casting for a resident named Gavin that meets, and falls for, Lauren at the hospital. We hope he doesn't mind if she sleeps with other men for money on the side.

This may be confusing, so follow along:

Andrew Shue played a character named Billy Campbell on Melrose Place. He's not returning to the revamped series, however.

But an actor with the same name is coming on board The CW drama, Billy Campbell will play a billionaire named Barrett McMillan. He'll debut on episode 13 as a love interest for Heather Locklear's Amanda Woodward.

Campbell starred opposite Locklear on Dynasty and appeared for seven episodes on The OC as Carter Buckley.

Is this a good casting choice? We think so.

It's been rumored on the Internet and prayed for by fans.

Now, it's becoming a reality: The CW has confirmed that Heather Locklear will reprise her role of Amanda Woodward on Melrose Place. She'll return to the series on November 17.

“We’re ecstatic to have the chance to bring Amanda Woodward back to ‘Melrose Place,’” said executive producers Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer.  “Heather’s involvement in the show is something we’ve been working on for some time as we couldn’t imagine creating and producing this show without the iconic character’s inclusion.”

Ratings for the new Melrose Place have been abysmal so far. The inclusion of Locklear ought to give the rebooted series a much-needed boost.

The actress - who showed up at the end of the original drama's first season and stuck around for six years - joins fellow former castmates Laura Leighton, Thomas Calabro, Josie Bisset and Daphne Zuniga on the updated version.

When she returns, Locklear's character will serve as the boss of Ella at a PR firm. We can't wait!