'Lost' actress joins ABC's 'Flash Forward'

ABC's pilot "Flash Forward" is being touted as a potential successor to "Lost," and the show's latest bit of casting makes the connection a little more explicit.

Sonya Walger, who has a key recurring part on "Lost" as Penny Widmore, will take the female lead in "Flash Forward." Christine Woods has also joined the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Elsewhere, Jessica Collins ("The Nine") has joined a pilot for a political thriller at AMC.

"Flash Forward," based on Robert J. Sawyer's sci-fi novel, begins with a science experiment gone awry causing everyone in the world to pass out for a couple of minutes -- during which time they experience a vision of the future. Walger will play the wife of an FBI agent (Joseph Fiennes) who's bothered that her vision includes another man.

5 join Matthew Perry's dark comedy pilot

Showtime is staffing up its Matthew Perry pilot.

Kiele Sanchez, Martha Plimpton, Eddie Shin, Nate Torrence and Dreama Walker have joined the cable network's dark comedy pilot "The End of Steve," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The story centers on Steve (Perry), a bitter, self-centered local talk show host who is seeking a bigger market and is half-heartedly on the way to redemption. Perry and Peter Tolan are writers and executive producers on the project, which promises to show a darker side to Perry.

The cast additions are rounding out the talk show staff. Sanchez plays Steve's attractive co-host, on whom he has a crush, while Plimpton will act as the talk show's producer. Shin will play Steve's boss, Bob Hu, while Torrence will be Steve's assistant Nathan.

Outside of the work environment, Walker will play the teenaged hottie daughter of Steve's apartment manager.

Sanchez has appeared on "Samantha Who?" as Chloe and was one of the despised Nikki Sanchez on "Lost." Plimpton received a Tony nomination for starring in the revival of "Pal Joey" opposite Stockard Channing. Walker plays the doe-eyed Hazel, one of Blair Waldorf's followers, on The CW's "Gossip Girl."

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