Post by elliot5 on Dec 8, 2006 12:49:53 GMT -5
www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=81f2c5b0-e9a7-4d13-97d0-cf5af101b70b
Mario Lopez Shimmies to the CW
Mario Lopez's prime-time career may have been saved by the ballroom.
The Dancing with the Stars finalist has inked a talent holding deal with the CW, meaning the network will either develop a starring vehicle for him or cast him in a pilot for the 2007-08 season, Variety reported Tuesday.
While Lopez hasn't exactly been whiling away the years since he called Zack Morris "preppy" for the last time, it was the 33-year-old actor's recent turn on Dancing with the Stars that returned him to household name status.
After the Saturday morning version of Saved by the Bell ended in 1994, A.C. Slater lived on in prime time until 1996 on Saved by the Bell: The New Class, after which Lopez moved on to TV guest spots galore and a handful of roles in straight-to-video films (Depraved, anyone?). He also played a cop on the fourth and final season of Pacific Blue on the USA network.
Finally, that killer dimple helped Lopez secure a hosting gig on NBC's America's Most Talented Kid, the network's temporary answer to all the other competition shows out there, in 2003. He later showed up on Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia and UPN's The Bad Girl's Guide and Eve.
Earlier this year, before his rogue tango irritated the judges but endeared him to audiences, Lopez had a five-episode arc on The Bold and the Beautiful and played a doctor whose good looks made Julian McMahon jealous on Nip/Tuck.
And Lopez is just the latest star to parlay his Dancing success into a job opportunity, which hopefully won't fizzle the way the buzz surrounding Kelly Monaco joining Desperate Housewives did (the actress is still on General Hospital).
While the New York Post reported last week that the latest production of The Producers is eyeing Lopez as a possible addition to the cast (which will be fronted by Tony Danza starting Dec. 19), the producers of Chicago are also interested—in Lopez and a handful of other Dancing alums.
Lopez and the slightly ballroom-challenged Harry Hamlin are possible contenders for the role of razzle-dazzle lawyer Billy Flynn, according to the Post, and theater producers are also looking at Joey Lawrence, Lisa Rinna and Drew Lachey.
Meanwhile, season one finalist—and winner in a rematch—John O'Hurley, who left his Seinfeld days behind him on the dance floor and is now hosting Family Feud, has already stepped into Billy Flynn's shoes on Broadway and is expected to reprise the role next year.
I agree with you Barb. DWTS has opened up more doors for Mario and I hope that more people start watching Bell, but at the same time start wanting to see the cast in other projects.