With a large upheaval of power ending the second season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, it looks like the heavy-hitting cast could use a brand new name. Instead of a young dude threatening Nucky Thompson’s (Steve Buscemi) empire this time around, producers have chosen an actor who knows how to play a character who has been around the block.
Third Watch and Win Win's Bobby Cannavale is set to join Boardwalk Empire in Season 3. According to Deadline, Cannavale will be a series regular on the critically successful show. He will not be just any series regular, however. Cannavale is set to play an unyielding gangster who pops up in order to take a stand against Nucky. As is the case with many of Cannavale’s characters, his Boardwalk Empire persona will exude charm - and I’m guessing since he is a bad guy, the charm will run a little devilish.
What better place for Cannavale to showcase his talents than an Emmy-winning, Golden Globe winning, SAG Award winning show about some gangster activity with period piece aesthetics to boot? I can think of nothing better, and in fact, I’m even more excited about Cannavale’s appearance on Boardwalk Empire than his upcoming guest appearance on Modern Family. Although, I will note guest stints on Modern Family have been pretty top-notch.
It will be a tough gig to replace Michael Pitt, but I think it was a good call to look to an actor who has done well stepping in to an already-successful program in the past. In fact, Cannavale's guest work on a later season of Will and Grace earned him a primetime Emmy. Let’s hope his role on Boardwalk Empire goes in a similar direction.
