For all of a week, it looked like Nancy Travis would be one of the busiest actresses on television. Two of her pilots, Last Man Standing and Hart Of Dixie were picked up by ABC and the CW, respectively, but since the latter only made her a recurring character, the former superseded any agreement she had with Hart Of Dixie. Under Travis’ contract with Last Man Standing producers 20th Century Fox, they have the final say on whether or not she can appear in a recurring or guesting capacity on another show, and those powers that be have decided she cannot work on Hart Of Dixie.
This has put the CW’s new offering in a vulnerable position considering Nancy Travis was prominently shown in the program’s upfront presentation. Rather than re-appealing to Twentieth Century Fox, Hart Of Dixie producers have decided to go ahead and recast her part. In the long run, it’s probably better for the show. Even if they had somehow gotten Travis, her appearance schedule would have been at the mercy of Last Man Standing. But in the short term, the loss of such a credible actress will no doubt take a toll, forcing the show to at minimum reshoot a portion of the pilot.
According to Deadline, there’s no word on who the CW might go with to replace the departing actress, but with a spot on the fall line-up in place, that decision will need to be made quickly. We’ll keep you abreast of the latest casting developments when they become available.
