Sorry I know there is a news thread but I thought this deserved it's own thread :D. Thanks to Vicki who posted this on Katie's board on MB and it does have a title now, it's called The Surgeons:

March 15, 2004

Hershey ready to scale WB's 'The Mountain'

By Nellie Andreeva

Isaiah Washington and Katherine Heigl have joined the cast of ABC's untitled Shonda Rhimes drama pilot, Barbara Hershey has come on board the WB Network's drama pilot "The Mountain," Christa Miller has been tapped to star in CBS' untitled Andrew Kennedy comedy pilot and Sharon Lawrence has come on board ABC's untitled Stein/McCall comedy pilot.

In other pilot casting news, Reagan Dale Neis has joined Fox's comedy "The Robinson Brothers," while Emmy winner Ben Gazzara has come on board CBS' drama "The Webster Report."

The untitled Rhimes drama, from Touchstone TV, centers on female residents in a surgical training program.

Washington will play Dr. Burke, a top surgeon at the hospital, a show dog and son of the hospital's chief of surgery (James Pickens Jr.). He replaces Paul Adelstein, who pulled out due to scheduling conflict. Heigl will play an intern.

If the project goes to series, it would be Washington's first for broadcast TV.

His credits include such features as "Romeo Must Die," "Out of Sight" and "Welcome to Collinwood" and Showtime's series "Soul Food."

Washington is repped by Innovative Artists and Vincent Cirrincione and Associates.

Heigl, best known for her role on "Roswell," next stars opposite Johnny Knoxville in "The Ringer."

She is repped by WMA and managers Stephanie Simon and Jason Newman.

Pickens Jr. is repped by Stone Manners and manager Christopher Wright.

"The Mountain," from WBTV and studio-based Wonderland Sound and Vision, centers on a 25-year-old (Oliver Hudson) who inherits his family's mountain resort when his grandfather dies.

Hershey will play the young man's mother. Meanwhile, Anson Mount (ABC's "Line of Fire") has been cast as his brother.

ICM-repped Hershey, nominated for an Oscar for "The Portrait of a Lady," recently starred in USA Network's telefilm "The Stranger Beside Me."

The untitled Andrew Kennedy comedy, from Sony Pictures TV, centers on a blended family, in which the parents (Kennedy, Miller) have conflicting points of view.

Following her seven-year stint on ABC's "The Drew Carey Show," Miller is recurring on NBC's "Scrubs."

She is repped by UTA and Handprint Entertainment.

The Stein/McCall project, from Warner Bros. TV and studio-based Acme Prods., centers on a young reporter (Colin Hanks) who makes waves at a respected magazine. The project is based on Stein's experience as being the youngest reporter ever at Time magazine.

Lawrence, whose credits include the series "NYPD Blue" and "Fired Up," is repped by ICM and manager Joan Hyler.

"The Robinson Brothers," from 20th TV and Original TV, centers on two adult brothers living in an L.A. apartment building that doubles as a college dorm.

Neis will play a hot girl living in the building.

Neis, star of the WB's "Maybe It's Me," most recently co-starred on Fox's "A Minute with Stan Hooper."

She is repped by the Gersh Agency and Curtis Talent Management.

"The Webster Report," from Warner Bros. TV, studio-based 25C Prods. and CBS Prods., centers on an offbeat New York private investigator (Stanley Tucci).

Gazzara will play the PI's father, a potentially recurring role.

Gazzara, who won an Emmy last year for HBO's "Hysterical Blindness," was recently seen in "Dogville."

He is repped by Stone Manners and manager Tom Korman.

Yay for Katherine