The cast of the upcoming NBC reboot of The Munsters has been the subject of much speculation, and has also been the reported cause of the production delay for the series. So it's exciting news to learn that yet another role has been filled for the series, which is being brought back to life by Pushing Daisies' Bryan Fuller.
TV Line shared the news today that Jerry O'Connell has been brought on board to play the part of Munsters patriarch Herman. The role was originally played by Fred Gwynne in the '60's version of the series. O'Connell joins Charity Wakefield, Eddie Izzard and the recently cast Mason Cook in the NBC series, which is set to begin production this summer.
While I can't say that I would have picked O'Connell for the part, it's certainly an intriguing casting choice. Back in April, Bryan Fuller talked about "reinventing The Munsters" and the "dramatic departure from the tone and style of the original show," so it's probably safer not to make any major assumptions on what direction they're taking as far as casting. What we do know is that O'Connell has experience with drama and comedy in television. Among his recent TV credits are is an episode of Adult Swim's NTSF: SD: SUV and a starring role in CBS' short-lived dramedy The Defenders. Of course, he's also well known for starring in Sliders and going back another decade, Stand By Me.
It'll be interesting to see how O'Connell takes on the role of Herman Munster. I'm already eagerly anticipating the first look at him in costume and make-up.
