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Aussiewood alive and well : New stateside gigs for Spencer, Ryan, Kidman

A few Aussies have snagged employment this week, largely in the world of Television.

Nicole Kidman is replacing Rachel Weisz in director Jonathan Teplitzky’s “The Railway Man”, according to Variety. Weisz, who was originally set to play Colin Firth’s wife in the film, opted out due to scheduling difficulties. Pre-production begins in April on the remarkable true story.

Former “Neighbours” and “House” star Jesse Spencer has been cast in the NBC drama pilot ”Chicago Fire”. Deadline says Spencer has the main role in the drama, the story of the firefighters holding the hoses at the Chicago Fire Department, playing “Matthew Casey, a firefighter at Firehouse 55, a natural leader who is in his element when on a rescue or putting out a fire but in his personal life, he is grappling with a recent separation from his wife.”

Another “Neighbours” alum, Jay Ryan, has been cast as ‘The Beast’, Vincent, in the CW’s reboot of ’80s TV fave “Beauty and the Beast”. You can read about the new series, and it’s characters and plot, here.

PSST! With Caffeinated Clint

Quick News – March 3, 2012