Game of Thrones‘ endless Season Two cast list expands again today. The HBO series was seeking an actress for Ygritte, a strong-willed Wilding girl who encounters Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) on his travels beyond the Wall. And they’ve found their girl: Rose Leslie (Downton Abbey). Although Leslie’s acting resume is limited primarily to Downton Abbey and two episodes of a UK series, Case Histories, she is a highly promising talent. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that she is “kissed by fire” (that’s just Wilding slang for having red hair). Game of Thrones‘ ten-episode second season will return to HBO in the spring. –AOLTV
Fox’s New Girl will be welcoming Rachael Harris in a guest role. Harris (known best perhaps as Ed Helms‘ toxic girlfriend in The Hangover) will play Jess’s (Zooey Deschanel) quirky vice-principal boss and friend, Tanya, who will bend the rules for Jess so long as she can be included in our lovable hero’s zany misadventures with her three new roommates. Something tells me she’ll be more trouble than she’s worth. According to Entertainment Weekly, Tanya has the potential to be a recurring character. – EW
Courteney Cox and David Arquette (doesn’t it make you happy that they still do things together?) are producing a comedy for ABC, home to Cox’s Cougar Town, called Ten Years. The single-camera comedy will focus on two characters, recently split after a ten-year relationship, but still bound by a group of mutual friends and family members. –THR
Another behind-the-scenes pair will manifest in Elizabeth Banks and her husband, producer Max Handelman. The two are developing a comedy series for Fox titled Dave’s Dead. The series will take single-camera format, and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, has been called, “Shaun of the Dead meets My Name is Earl.” Whatever that amounts to, there will probably be a good deal of ragged clothing. –THR
