Much of television production may have shut down due to the writers strike but the performers from many of your favorite cancelled shows are keeping busy with other projects.
Rose McGowan (Charmed) has been booked at the new co-host for Turner Classic Movies’ The Essentials series which discusses groundbreaking films. She’ll be working with reporter Robert Osborne as of March 8th and replaces Carrie Fisher.
Sherri Shepherd (The Wedding Bells, currently The View) has signed on to Lee Daniels’ Push. The film follows the story of an overweight and pregnant Harlem teen who tries to better her life by enrolling in an alternative school. Mo’Nique (The Parkers) also stars.
Toni Trucks (All of Us) has completed work on three indie films. She stars with Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers) in Mr. Art Critic, with Melvin Jackson Jr. (The Wire) in Hitting the Bricks, and Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos) in Pizza with Bullets. Trucks also has a recurring role on the upcoming VH1 scripted series The Life and Times of Marcus Felony Brown.
Nicki Aycox (LAX, Providence) has nabbed a role in a FOX movie, Joy Ride: End of the Road. She’ll play one of two young ladies who are on a road trip to Las Vegas. The film also features Kyle Schmid (Beautiful People), Nick Zano (What I Like About You), and Mark Gibbon (Stargate SG-1).
In May, look for Michelle Stafford (Pacific Palisades) in an indie thriller called 3 Days Gone. The movie tells the story of Lucas Snow (Christopher Backus), a young man who was buried alive and lost three days of his life. His best friend is murdered and the police and two top crime bosses are hunting him down. Stafford plays a detective.
Emma Caulfield (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) has signed on to appear in the upcoming movie Timer. She’s currently filming a role in comedy picture Why Am I Doing This? about two best friends — one Asian, one Black — who try to make it in Hollywood. The latter also stars Anthony Montgomery (Star Trek: Enterprise), Obba Babatunde (Half & Half), and Dion Basco (City Guys).
Michael Chiklis (The Shield) and Lynn Cohen (Sex and the City) are the latest additions to action film Eagle Eye. He’ll play the U.S. secretary of defense and she’ll play a landlady in the D.J. Caruso-directed DreamWorks thriller. As previously mentioned, the story centers on a slacker, played by Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens), and a single mother, Michelle Monaghan (Boston Public), who are framed as terrorists.
Skeet Ulrich (Jericho) is signed to appear in the upcoming picture called Armored. He’ll play an armored truck team member who plans to steal the truck’s $10 million. The film stars Matt Dillon, Columbus Short (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), and Laurence Fishburne (Pee-wee’s Playhouse). Ulrich’s Jericho returns to CBS on February 12th. Stay tuned! 
