While we are at the point in the television season where most new network pilots have gotten casting well under the way, sometimes a show or two will slip through the cracks. Such is the case for ABC’s Nashville pilot, an evening soap opera that was greenlighted less than a week ago. ABC isn't wasting any time getting some casting news out the door.
Tuck Everlasting's Jonathan Jackson is the first to sign on to Nashville as Avery, an aspiring songwriter with a bad reputation. Jackson, who is mostly known for his intermittent stints as Lucky on the daytime soap opera General Hospital, should do well with the melodrama. According to TV Line, outside of acting, Jackson also plays in a little-known, independent band known as Enation. He sings lead vocals and plays guitar in the band, so with his soap opera acting skills and his musical talent combined, he should be a good fit for the musically inclined Nashville.
While ABC is only offering limited information on the Nashville pilot, the concept seems to be loosely reminiscent of NBC’s Smash, but focused on the country music industry. Nashville will mix real-world musicians with fictional rising stars within the show's world. With that sort of competition, the drama could get pretty intense. Plus, the project is coming from Thelma and Louise's Callie Khouri, an Oscar-winning writer, so provided the show gets its act together this late in the game, I see it as having a chance to compete.
