Rhiannon Giddens joining Nashville
Grammy-winning singer Rhiannon Giddens is joining the cast of the revamped country music drama Nashville.
The co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops has scored a recurring role on the upcoming fifth season as Hallie Jordan, a social worker who turns out to have a very impressive singing voice.
In addition to her music career, Giddens has also kept busy with various acting endeavors, including stints on Nurse Jackie and Parenthood. She was slated to take over for pregnant Audra McDonald in Broadway musical Shuffle Along this summer (16), but plans fell through after producers decided to close the show early due to the six-time Tony winner's unexpected exit.
News of Giddens' casting comes the same day as Nashville's first table read for season five, which will premiere for the first time on America's CMT network in January (17).
Bosses at the ABC network initially canceled the low-rated yet beloved show in May (16), but executives at CMT picked up Nashville for a 22-episode fifth season.
The network move also includes two new showrunners in thirty-something bosses Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, while two former series regulars, Will Chase and Aubrey Peeples, will not return for the fifth season.
The show's star, Connie Britton, is reportedly in a reduced role this season, but fans can expect the return of Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio and Chris Carmack, among others.
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