Cardellini Set to Assist with 'ER' Operation

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Cardellini Set to Assist with 'ER' Operation

Tue Aug 19, 2:23 AM ET
By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Scooby-Doo" star Linda Cardellini has joined the cast of NBC's medical drama "ER" as a regular.

She will make her debut in the show's fifth episode in the fall, playing Nurse Samantha Taggart, a free-spirited single mother.

"We're pleased to have an actress of Linda's caliber joining the show," said "ER" executive producer John Wells, who is overseeing the Emmy-winning series.

Cardellini is the latest addition to the cast of the enduring drama for its upcoming 10th season following the recruitment of "Bend It Like Beckham" star Parminder Nagra as a regular and Glenn Howerton as a recurring with an option to become a regular.

While Nurse Taggart's story line is still being worked out, there is speculation that there might be romantic sparks flying between her and Dr. Luka Kovac, played by Goran Visnjic, who is often regarded as George Clooney's successor as the resident heartthrob on the show.

That would be a throwback to the veteran series' early days when the romance between Clooney's Dr. Doug Ross and Julianna Margulies' Nurse Carol Hathaway heated up the screen.

Cardellini, who played Velma Dinkley in the 2002 feature "Scooby-Doo," is reprising her role in the upcoming sequel "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed."

Cardellini's other credits include the NBC dramedy series "Freaks and Geeks" and the features "Legally Blonde" and the upcoming "La La Wood."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

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