With last year’s spinoff Once Upon a Time in Wonderland quickly becoming a distant memory, ABC’s fantasy drama Once Upon a Time is looking to build upon its core audience by bringing in characters from one of the most popular movies in modern times, Disney’s Frozen. The series recently added two more formerly animated characters for Season 4, as Shameless star Tyler Jacob Moore will cast as the dashingly devious Prince Hans, and veteran actor John Rhys-Davies (the Lord of the Rings franchise) has been cast as the wise rock troll Pabbie. Perhaps not a career high for Mr. Rhys-Davies.
Recent weeks have seen the casting and reveal of Georgiana Haig’s Snow Queen Elsa and Scott Michael Foster’s Kristoff. (As well as Elizabeth Lail’s addition as Princess Anna.) According to THR, Moore’s live-action Hans will first show up in the third episode and is scheduled to recur throughout the season. As for the CGI rock troll’s presence, Rhys-Davies is currently only voicing him for one episode, but producers are keeping the option open to add more of him in the future.
As you might recall from the film, Hans is Anna’s love at one point before Elsa deems their relationship forbidden. It all works out in the end, since he’s a total conniving douchebag, but I wonder if this character arc will remain the same for the small screen transition. And then there’s Pabbie, the ruler of the Valley of the Living Rock; not a place that network TV goes very often. He’s got magical abilities, and a vague way of giving advice that is most sitcom-like in its misunderstanding.
Moore, who has had a recurring role on Shameless over the years, will soon be seen in William Dickerson’s thriller Don’t Look Back opposite Lucy Griffiths. Rhys-Davies, who recently starred in the ridiculous Asylum release Apocalypse Pompeii, is currently filming Thurman Bryan and Luis Esteban’s thriller Nameless.
For a fun look “behind the scenes” at Once Upon a Time, check out the spoofy video released for Comic-Con.
Mirror, Mirror, please do have faith. Once Upon a Time returns to ABC on Sunday, September 28.
