Hard Boots to Fill
Casting is underway for a new character being added to ABC Family's "Wildfire" -- Uncle Jesse, the brother of Henry, the ranch owner played by the late Dennis Weaver. The new recurring character took off from the ol' homestead to become a globe-trotting photographer, according to sources familiar with the script, and is described as a "fun-loving devil."
'Wildfire' rides into Webisodes
ABC Family has greenlit a series of Internet-exclusive episodes that will serve as a prequel to its top-rated original series "Wildfire."
Lionsgate and Piller/Segan will produce the Webisodes, which will be available on ABCFamily.com this fall. Story will center on the earlier dysfunctional days of Kris Furillo, played by Genevieve Cortese, before she joins the foster family that introduces her to the world of thoroughbred racing.
Project is part of a larger online initiative that the network announced in earlier this year (Daily Variety, April 12). This summer ABC Family will relaunch its Web site, which will include a broadband player, a space for social networking, an interactive gaming area and downloadable content.
Both seasons of "Wildfire" are available on iTunes and on DVD. Production on the third season begins in July.
