Bourne is set to play the former lover of the show’s executive producer, an addict who managed to clean up his act and who now runs a surf charter company. Meanwhile, Williams will portray Lizzie, the new makeup girl at the show. They join a cast that includes the likes of Craig Bierko (Sex and the City) as Chet, the self-indulgent, pompous series creator who’s carrying on an affair with his executive producer (Constance Zimmer); Josh Kelly (One Life to Live) as one of the show’s cameramen; Johanna Braddy (Shameless) as a contestant eager to land a husband; and Breeda Wool (Betas) as a vulnerable tomboy from the South.

In addition to his current role on the MTV genre drama, Bourne has appeared on Revenge, The Secret Circle, and Fringe, while Williams’s television credits include stints on Black Box, Level Up, and Heartland.

It’s as yet unclear whether Un-Real will premiere this fall or be held for early 2015. Should the series premiere this year, it will be the network’s second new series to come along in 2014 following the debut of conspiracy thriller The Lottery. The network has been busy scooping up new dramas following the cancellation of Army Wives, Drop Dead Diva, and The Client List, as historical drama The Clan of the Cave Bear is set to premiere sometime next year, as well.

Will you be watching Un-Real? Do you think a show with this concept can appeal to Lifetime audiences? Where and when do you think Lifetime should air Un-Real?

The post Un-Real: JR Bourne and Siobhan Williams Join the Cast appeared first on TVHackr.

Based on the Sarah Gertrude Shapiro short Sequin Raze and co-written by Marti Noxon, Un-Real is set in the world of a reality dating competition and follows a young staffer (Shiri Appleby) whose job it is to manipulate relationships in order to create the dramatic footage demanded of her by producers. In addition to Appleby, Zimmer, and Bierko, Un-Real stars Josh Kelly (One Life to Live) as one of the show’s cameramen, Johanna Braddy (Shameless) as a contestant eager to land a husband, and Breeda Wool (Betas) as a vulnerable tomboy from the South.

In addition to his role on the CBS soap, Bierko has appeared on the likes of Damages, Boston Legal, and Sex and the City.

Un-Real should be the next original scripted series to debut on Lifetime, which has already premiered one new series this year in sci-fi conspiracy drama The Lottery. The network, also home to the likes of Devious Maids and Witches of East End, recently picked up another scripted drama in The Clan of the Cave Bear, which tells the story of a young girl fighting for survival in a world where Neanderthals and the first modern humans occupy the same space.

Will you be watching Un-Real? Do you think a show with this type of concept can be a success for Lifetime? Are you surprised that it’s taken this long to get this type of scripted show on the air?

The post Un-Real: Craig Bierko Joins Upcoming Lifetime Drama appeared first on TVHackr.

“Un-Real is unlike anything that exists on television today,” Rob Sharenow, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lifetime, said.  “It’s premium and original on every level, and we’re thrilled that Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro’s unique series will be Lifetime’s first program produced by A+E Studios.”

Un-Real marks the latest original scripted series for Lifetime, which underwent a changing of the guard during 2013 with the cancellations of Army Wives and The Client List and the renewals of freshman series Witches of East End and Devious Maids. The show will likely end up as the most comedic scripted series on the network, though it won’t be the only Lifetime drama with a comedic element, as Maids, Witches, and Drop Dead Diva all have a certain amount of humor to them.

In addition to Appleby, Un-Real stars Megyn Price (Rules of Engagement) as the executive producer of the series; Freddie Stroma (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) as the show’s handsome bachelor Adam; Johanna Braddy (Hit the Floor) as Anna, a contestant looking to land a husband; and Josh Kelly (One Life to Live) as Rachel’s cameraman ex.

Will you be watching Un-Real? Do you think the show will have anything new to say about reality television? Can something that leans more comedic work on a drama-heavy network like Lifetime?

The post Lifetime Picks Dark Comedy Un-Real Up to Series appeared first on TVHackr.