Rachel Bilson and Kaitlin Doubleday are joining the second half of Season 5 on CMT, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Series co-showrunner Marshall Herskovitz welcomed the new arrivals and promised to finish the season strong with the “surprising twists and turns that make Nashville so beloved by the fans.” There’s no word on who they are playing exactly, but both actors shared iconic imagery from the set on their Instagram page to announce their new gig:
Herskovitz told THR in a previous interview that they have been deliberately expanding the cast and are trying for “more diversity,” which isn’t exactly on display here. But “expansion” may explain why when one character leaves, their needs multiply.
Britton isn’t the only actor to recently flee the show this season. Series regulars Will Chase and Aubrey Peeples left when Nashville changed networks, and have been replaced by “recurring guests” Joseph David-Jones, Rhiannon Giddens, and Cameron Scoggins. I don’t know if this is a pay grade thing or just an attempt to keep enough characters attached to the series to produce a full episode, but new faces are always welcome as long as they bring some crazy secret to town.
