Tuning In

Hurt gets ‘Damages’

FX has confirmed that Oscar-winning actor William Hurt will join the cast of the network’s legal thriller “Damages” for its second season, scheduled for broadcast sometime in early 2009, Multichannel.com reports.

Network officials said production on the new series starts Tuesday in New York.

Mr. Hurt joins “Damages” for a season-long arc as a new client of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). Details of his role are being kept under wraps, but show insiders have hinted that Mr. Hurt’s character will share not only a professional past with Hewes, but a personal one as well.

According to Multichannel.com, it will be Mr. Hurt’s first appearance as a regular character in a television series.

A four-time Oscar nominee, Mr. Hurt won the best-actor award for his role as Luis Molina, a gay prisoner in 1985’s “Kiss of the Spiderwoman.” He also received Oscar nominations for his performances in “A History of Violence,” “Broadcast News” and “Children of a Lesser God.”

Daytime Emmys on ABC

“All My Children” star and “Dancing With the Stars” contestant Cameron Mathison teams with comedian and “The View” co-host Sherri Shepherd to host the 35th annual “Daytime Emmy Awards,” airing live from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre Friday at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Awards will be presented in 27 categories.

Miss Shepherd’s daytime chat fest, “The View,” will compete in the Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment category against “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Rachael Ray.”

Miss Shepherd and her “View” co-hosts - Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O’Donnell, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck - also are nominated for Outstanding Talk Show Host. The quintet will face competitors Miss DeGeneres and Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa ( “Live with Regis and Kelly”).

Nominees for Outstanding Talk Show Informative are “A Place of Our Own,” “Dr. Phil” and “The Tyra Banks Show.”

Among the other major nominees:

Outstanding Morning Program: “American Morning” (CNN), “Good Morning America” (ABC), “The Today Show” (NBC).

Outstanding Drama Series: “General Hospital” (ABC), “Guiding Light” (CBS), “One Life to Live” (ABC), “The Young and the Restless” (CBS).

Story Continues →