Saturday, November 7, 2026

Casting News - Paul Bettany Boards "Pagans"; Tim Robbins and Giancarlo Esposito Join "Monarch" Prequel; Plus 5 More Updates!

Casting News - November 7, 2026

Apple TV's Ascension, Shrinking & Untitled Monarch Prequel; Netflix's The Beast in Me & Pagans; Paramount+'s Tulsa King; and Prime Video's Reacher.




NETFLIX's PAGANS
  • Paul Bettany will co-star opposite Steven Yeun in the upcoming drama created by Joshua Zetumer. He currently stars in Disney+'s VisionQuest, which releases its season finale next Tuesday.
  • He will play Mag, a charismatic stranger.
APPLE TV's UNTITLED MONARCH PREQUEL
  • Tim Robbins and Giancarlo Esposito will guest star on the upcoming Monarch: Legacy of Monsters prequel starring Wyatt Russell. Robbins has received two Academy Award nominations - winning in 2004 for his supporting role in Mystic River. Esposito has received six Emmy Award nominations for his performances on AMC's Breaking Bad and its prequel Better Call Saul, Disney+'s The Mandalorian and Prime Video's The Boys.
  • No details were immediately announced about the characters they will be playing.
NETFLIX's THE BEAST IN ME
  • Lili Taylor has been cast as a new series regular on the drama's upcoming second season. She previously starred for three seasons in ABC's American Crime and two seasons in Prime Video's Outer Range. She also recurred on HBO's Perry Mason, Apple TV's Manhunt and Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again.
  • She will play Fiona, Aggie's (Claire Danes) stepmother.
APPLE TV's ASCENSION
  • Art Malik, Fred Loxley and Mirren Mack have joined the cast of the upcoming drama starring Caitríona Balfe and Bill Nighy. Malik previously starred in the Channel 5 limited series Penance and recurred on Showtime's Homeland. Loxley will appear in Channel 4's upcoming series Number 10. Mack starred in the Netflix limited series The Witcher: Blood Origin and in the BBC One/MGM+ limited series A Tale of Two Cities.
  • No details were immediately announced about the characters they will be playing.
PARAMOUNT+'s TULSA KING
  • Manny Montana has booked a recurring role on the dramedy's upcoming fifth season. He previously starred for three seasons in USA's Graceland, four seasons in NBC's Good Girls and in the Disney+ limited series Ironheart.
  • He will play Gilberto Torres, a gangster with a strong presence, though he doesn't have to advertise it. Through his network in the streets, nothing goes on in New York without him knowing about it.
PRIME VIDEO's REACHER
  • Ari Stidham has landed a recurring role on the drama's upcoming fifth season. He previously starred for four seasons in CBS' Scorpion, which was created by Reacher showrunner Nick Santora.
  • He will play Dean Lassider, a sleazy businessman and long-time associate of Nokes (Kevin Durand) who runs his shady operations out of a desert strip club.
APPLE TV's SHRINKING
  • Dyllón Burnside, Jillian Bell and Addie Weyrich have scored recurring roles on the comedy's upcoming fourth season. Burnside previously starred for three seasons in FX's Pose. Bell starred in the films 22 Jump Street, Brittany Runs a Marathon and Kinda Pregnant. Weyrich guest starred on HBO's Crashing and Prime Video's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
  • No details were immediately announced about the characters they will be playing.