From The Hollywood Reporter

March 15, 2004

Hershey ready to scale WB's 'The Mountain'

By Nellie Andreeva

Isaiah Washington and Katherine Heigl have joined the cast of ABC's untitled Shonda Rhimes drama pilot, Barbara Hershey has come on board the WB Network's drama pilot "The Mountain," Christa Miller has been tapped to star in CBS' untitled Andrew Kennedy comedy pilot and Sharon Lawrence has come on board ABC's untitled Stein/McCall comedy pilot.

In other pilot casting news, Reagan Dale Neis has joined Fox's comedy "The Robinson Brothers," while Emmy winner Ben Gazzara has come on board CBS' drama "The Webster Report."

The untitled Rhimes drama, from Touchstone TV, centers on female residents in a surgical training program.

Washington will play Dr. Burke, a top surgeon at the hospital, a show dog and son of the hospital's chief of surgery (James Pickens Jr.). He replaces Paul Adelstein, who pulled out due to scheduling conflict. Heigl will play an intern.

If the project goes to series, it would be Washington's first for broadcast TV.

His credits include such features as "Romeo Must Die," "Out of Sight" and "Welcome to Collinwood" and Showtime's series "Soul Food."

Washington is repped by Innovative Artists and Vincent Cirrincione and Associates.

Heigl, best known for her role on "Roswell," next stars opposite Johnny Knoxville in "The Ringer."