‘The Leftovers’: ‘Lost’ exec Damon Lindelof casts Liv Tyler, furthers geek cred

Just in case Damon Lindelof was hoping to get even more of a geek following behind him (which seems impossible given that he is already one of the guys behind “Lost” and wrote the most recent “Star Trek” movie), he has booked a former “Lord of the Rings” star for his upcoming HBO project that is more about the Rapture than science fiction. (This comes after he has already cast a former “Doctor Who” star.)

According to a report from Deadline, Liv Tyler (who played Arwen in the Peter Jackson movies) has been cast in “The Leftovers” as Meg, a woman who was looking for an escape prior to her wedding; with that, she ends up joining some sort of mysterious cult. She will star alongside Justin Theroux in the project, which is currently at the pilot stage in development.

Like with Theroux, this casting is interesting in that Tyler is known more for film work, and this is her first TV gig that would make her a series regular. However, this may yet again be proof that TV really is an ideal destination for many talented movie actors these days since the material is far better then anything at the cinemas right now. For example, just look at Claire Danes on “Homeland,” Peter Dinklage on “Game of Thrones,” or Michael Sheen on the upcoming Showtime drama “Masters of Sex.” It’s becoming more and more of a popular medium for big named actors, and Lindelof is a heck of a guy to partner up with given his track record.

We’ll have more on this series as your go-to source in the months ahead, and we feel pretty confident about its pickup odds given that this project was sought-after before USA even decided to pick it up.

Do you like this casting? If you want to read some more news on the subject of “The Leftovers,” you can do so here.

Photo: HBO