Stargate star Michael Shanks has written to his official website (MSOL) that he has a new role in a pilot that will be shooting in Toronto:
Been cast in a pilot for Canadian/US TV for the CTV network called Saving Hope in the role of ‘Harris Coles’. Erica Durance is the leading lady in this one. Start shooting it on the 22nd of June in Toronto, and leave to go do prep/rehearsals on the 16th.
Durance guest starred on SG-1 as Krista James in “Affinity” and played Lois Lane in the record-breaking Smallville. News of her casting was reported in our LJ Companion earlier this month.
Michael’s role is emphasized in the following synopsis provided by CTV in a press release:
“Saving Hope” centers on young, idealistic neonatal doctor Alyse Joy and her rival and one-time lover, flashy cancer surgeon Joel Gottlieb, as they take on the fundamental questions that define medicine today. Who gets to live, who gets to die, and why? The story goes into uncharted territory when the charismatic, inspiring and golden-tongued Chief of Surgery, Harris Coles, becomes a patient. Comatose, locked-in and unable to communicate that he’s aware of everything around him, Coles is the voice and the eyes that guide viewers through the world of “Saving Hope.” The drama, which is inspired by Ian Brown’s The Globe and Mail “Mount Hope” series based on stories from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, is written and created by Morwyn Brebner (“Rookie Blue”) and Malcolm MacRury (“Deadwood”, “Crash & Burn”) and executive produced by Ilana Frank of Thump Inc. (“The Eleventh Hour”, “Of Murder and Memory”, “Rookie Blue”) and Lesley Harrison in association with CTV.
Sounds like a very challenging role! I guess if he’s locked in, we’ll hear his thoughts as sort of narration? I hope this goes really well and gets picked up as a series!
I’m just wondering if all of the action is going to take place with him in the room! How is that supposed to work with a comatose patient? :O
Anyway, it does sound interesting and different. I hope we get to see it.