Laurence Fishburne is headed to NBC to crack down on "Hannibal." Amid rumors, The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the "CSI" alum and Emmy winner will play Jack Crawford, the head of the FBI's behavioral sciences unit.
In the 13-episode drama from "Dead Like Me" and "Pushing Daisies" creator Bryan Fuller, Mads Mikkelsen has already cast as the titular character, a psychiatrist-turned-serial killer, and Hugh Dancy will star as Will Graham, the criminal profiler who enlists Hannibal's help in the hunt for a serial killer.
In the feature films about the Hannibal Lecter, based on the novels by Thomas Harris, Fishburne's role of Jack Crawford was played by Dennis Farina in "Manhunter," Scott Glenn in "The Silence of the Lambs," and Harvey Keitel in "Red Dragon."
At Comic-Con earlier in July, Fuller told fans that "Hannibal" will be "an elegant horror movie on network TV."
In other casting news ...
Carrie Preston heads to "Royal Pains." The "True Blood" actress and "The Good Wife" guest star has signed on to play Jackie Van Ark in the USA drama. Her character is a successful romance novelist who brings her daughter to HankMed to treat her for mysterious symptoms in the Sept. 5 episode of the drama's fourth season. [TVLine]
Billie Joe Armstrong finds his "Voice." The Green Day frontman has joined NBC's singing competition as a mentor to Christina Aguilera's team, joining other previously announced Season 3 mentors: Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas on Cee Lo Green's team, Mary J. Blige on Adam Levine's team and Michael Buble on Blake Shelton's team. [THR]
An "Infamous" switch. Wes Brown, known for roles on "90210," "Private Practice," "True Blood" and "Hart of Dixie," will replace Neil Jackson ("Make It Or Break It") as womanizing bad boy Julian in NBC's mid-season drama about a female detective (Meaghan Good). [TVLine]
Soap star jumps into "Chicago Fire." On the new NBC drama, One Life to Live alumna Meghann Fahy will play Nicki Kahler, the hot, but engaged assistant to Firehouse 51 Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker of "Oz" fame). [TVLine]
Taryn Manning will return to "Hawaii Five-0."The actress will return to the islands as Steve McGarrett's little sister Mary Ann to see the mom they believed to be dead for two decades. [TV Guide]
Ashley Williams will be back for more romance on "How I Met Your Mother." The actress, who plays Ted's complicated love interest Victoria, will return for a multi-episode arc in Season 8, starting in the premiere on Sept. 24. When audiences last saw Ted (Josh Radnor) and Victoria, they admitted they had feelings for each other just before Victoria married another man. [TVLine]