Denis Leary is reuniting with TNT president Kevin Reilly.
The Rescue Me grad has booked a recurring role on the forthcoming third season of the Turner-owned cable network’s Animal Kingdom.
Leary will play Billy, Deran’s (Jake Weary) drifter dad whom Smurf (Ellen Barkin) kicked out years ago.
“Denis Leary’s extensive and successful career playing complicated, flawed characters makes him the perfect addition to this badass Animal Kingdom family,” said Sarah Aubrey, executive vp original programming at TNT.
The casting marks a reunion for Leary with Reilly, who developed Rescue Me during his time at FX. Leary joins Animal Kingdom as star Scott Speedman is poised to exit the series after his character was shot at the end of season two. (Speedman has since booked a role on Grey’s Anatomy.)
Leary has been on seven seasons of Rescue Me and recently starred in FX’s Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. On the feature side, his credits include The Amazing Spider-Man and voice roles in A Bug’s Life and Ice Age. He’s repped by WME.
Animal Kingdom, from exec producer John Wells, returns in the summer; a premiere date has not yet been determined.
