The Good Wife is known for signing on almost as many well-known faces each season as American Horror Story. CBS’ lawyer-based plotline doesn’t switch locations or time periods like FX’s drama, but it does switch cases each week and it’s savvy writing and weaving of Chicago politics has attracted bigger guest starts to the series than the average lawyer drama. Casting is now underway for Season 5, and over the weekend we learned that Melissa George and Juliet Rylance would be joining the show.
George’s role seems to be the bigger of the two additions to the cast. The actress has signed on for a multi-episode arc, but she won’t have much to do with Alicia and the gang. Instead, she has signed on to the series to play Marilyn, an ethics counselor who will work for Peter Florrick as he begins his run as governor. Considering the wild ordeal with the ballot box at the end of Season 4 that ended up being directly related to the Florrick campaign, I can’t think of a new office in need of a little cleanup more than Peter’s. According to TV Line, Marilyn is described as “smart and savvy,” but also a person who very much wants her charges to abide by the rules.
In addition to George, Rylance has been signed on to the series as Holly, an Assistant State’s Attorney who will pop up in the series on a recurring basis. In addition to her skills as a lawyer, it will be revealed that she and Kalinda share a past and may even share a bed through Season 4. Is it just me, or does anyone else wish the writers would give Kalinda something substantial to do that didn’t involve one of her many lovers? I guess it's difficult to separate Kalinda from her overly-sexual personality, but I'm hoping this mention of a “shared past” might help us to learn a little more about the guarded side of her personality. We'll have to wait and see. According to TV Line, Rylance was signed on shortly after George on Friday.
While Rylance is relatively new to the acting world and has mostly appeared in flicks like Sinister and Frances Ha, George is a veteran of TV. Most recently she’s appeared in Cinemax’s Hunted, but she also has credits in Grey’s Anatomy, Alias, and In Treatment. That may seem like plenty of experience for a network TV program, but the two women will have some big shoes to fill.
Last season, The Good Wife managed to sign on some heavy hitters, including John Noble, Kristin Chenoweth, Nathan Lane, Amanda Peet, and many, many more. Now, that people have begun signing on for Season 5, I’m sure some interesting new castings will head our way, soon. We won't have too long to wait; CBS has The Good Wife slated to return to the schedule on Sunday, September 29 at 9 p.m. ET.
