March 25, 2011 11:58 AM PDT

Covert Affairs Exclusive: Will Piper Perabo Play Doctor With Ben Lawson?

Get More: Casting News, Exclusive, News, Previews, Scoop, Spoilers

Covert Affairs is increasing its eye candy quotient as it gears up for its second season.

Aussie hunk Ben Lawson — who starred in the short-lived ABC legal drama The Deep End — is joining the USA Network smash in a recurring role.

Additionally, Rena Sofer (NCIS, Heroes) is coming on board for multiple episodes.

Lawson will play Dr. Scott Weiss, a charming and handsome Doctors Without Borders-type physician Annie (Piper Perabo) meets when she takes her niece, Chloe, to the emergency room. Passionate about his work, Scott understands Annie’s devotion to her job — even if he doesn’t know what that job actually is.

I spy flying sparks!

Sofer, meanwhile, has been cast as Gina, Arthur’s (Peter Gallagher) smart, kind-hearted ex-wife who re-enters his life to offer advice as he deals with the political fallout from Lisa’s (Emmanuelle Vaugier) media assault.

Covert Affairs‘ second season kicks off June 7.

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Comments (34)

  • the diversity quotient of the show is really low though, but i guess CIA people are not very diverse!!!

    Comment by teniba – March 25, 2011 12:08 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • The show has a blind (possibly closeted) techie guy. And an anti-stereotypical Indian-American superspy…

      We need a quadroplegic dwarf in there too!

      Comment by MST3K – March 25, 2011 02:39 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

      • Why would you think Auggie is “possibly closeted”? He had a very passionate reunion with his former girlfriend last season — and it’s quite clear that he has feelings for Annie. There’s nothing that suggests that he’s gay. Though introducing a gay CIA agent wouldn’t be a bad thing IMHO.

        Comment by RAGGEDT – March 25, 2011 03:04 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

        • I’ve just started watching, but I would LOVE to see Annie and Auggie together. He doesn’t look gay to me. I absolutely love Chris Gorham, so I would enjoy seeing sparks flying between those two.

          Comment by Vicki – March 25, 2011 03:46 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

          • Yeah I guess you’re right. Dont think the producers were ever thinking of making Auggie gay, he is just a really snappy dresser.

            Comment by MST3K – March 25, 2011 08:46 PM PDT  

        • I really like Christopher Gorham. He’s cute and has a well-maintained physique. I admire his character, though blind, it didn’t hinder him from doing something great. I haven’t seen yet the “auggie-ex-gf reunion” episode (late airing here), i don’t think he is “possibly closeted”. I agree with you that he has feelings for Annie. I’m hoping in CA Session 2, it would be Annie and Auggie in the end.

          Comment by andrea – March 29, 2011 08:33 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Regarding Emmanuelle Vaugier’s character -
      You spell Liza the way it sounds, LIZA not Lisa – sheesh.

      Comment by dutch – March 28, 2011 03:12 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • So I guess we can take that to mean that Ben doesn’t survive the escape? Or is at least captured?

    Comment by Deion – March 25, 2011 12:19 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Rena Sofer? Really? She made NCIS almost unwatchable. I don’t know if I can stand watching the show if she’s going to be on it, especially for multiple episodes.

    Comment by Bella – March 25, 2011 12:23 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • AMEN! She makes every show she guest stars on unwatchable. I almost didn’t survive the season she was on 24.

      Comment by jc78 – March 25, 2011 12:50 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

      • Good to know I’m not the only one who can’t stand her. Maybe she’s a nice person, but her acting … leaves much to be desired. Please kill her character ASAP!

        Comment by Chatty – March 25, 2011 02:15 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

      • Didn’t she play Adrian Pasdar’s wife in “Heroes”? I didn’t enjoy her in that role, either.

        Comment by Gwen – March 26, 2011 09:33 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • You took the words right out of my mouth! I was so looking forward to the show coming back on this summer, but now I may have to skip it all together. I did quit watching NCIS when she came on and they were thinking of putting her with Gibbs. YUCK! Here goes another one of my shows.

      Comment by wednesday – March 30, 2011 12:08 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Agree — HATED her on NCIS.

      Comment by Liz – March 30, 2011 03:19 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • I agree with your opinion of Rena Sofer. I was just watching this thing for Christopher Gorham’s character. If they don’t up his tv time I may have to quit watching.

      Comment by Charlee – May 30, 2011 06:49 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • A point of editing: Emmanuelle Vaugier’s character is named Liza, not Lisa.

    Comment by george – March 25, 2011 12:40 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Oops, I didn’t see this before I posted a correction. I am guessing that a spelling lesson repeated will not hurt the writer, however.

      Comment by dutch – March 28, 2011 03:14 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • So Ben Mercer (Eion Bailey) really did die?? Disappointed. He and Piper had really GREAT chemistry. Too bad.

    Comment by Pamela – March 25, 2011 12:56 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Nope!!!!!!!!!!!! Mystery awaits… LOL!

      Comment by Sunny – March 25, 2011 04:03 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I’d rather see Lena Headey as a guest star. ;)

    Comment by J – March 25, 2011 01:08 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I for one am hoping Annie and Auggie finally get together! But a good point was raised about how not-diverse this show is. You’d think they’d maybe be a little more imaginative at least with the guest stars. At least we have Sendhil.

    Comment by Amy – March 25, 2011 01:11 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Love the doc coming in! But jesus, rena sofer invading another one of my favorite shows. #fail. she killed the season 7 of NCIS for me. Hopefully, she’ll have learned some acting skills for covert, or at least the character will be semi-likable.

    Comment by beth – March 25, 2011 01:29 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I feel like there are plenty of guys on the show. Why can’t they add a friend (woman)for her. She already has like 3 love interests. That’s enough.

    Comment by Alyssa – March 25, 2011 01:38 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • I totally agree that it would be great to have a fellow female agent for Annie to know/be friends with. And hey, if she was a love interest too, that would at least be different!

      Comment by Amy – March 25, 2011 06:18 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • What about Ben? The Annie/Ben story is the best part of Covert Affairs and the chemistry between Eion Bailey and Piper Perabo is amazing. They just sizzle when they have a scene together! Forget these new people and give us Ben and Annie and Augie!!!!

    I don’t get TV execs! Last year was Covert Affairs first season and it did great! So, why mess with a winning formula and the actors who made it happen? Makes no sense…

    Comment by Kat – March 25, 2011 05:04 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Rena Sofer has rapidly become the Ted McGinley of TV shows.

    Comment by Jon – March 25, 2011 06:00 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Rena Sofer playing kind-hearted ex-wife? Really? I’d think it would be more fun if they scripted a chick fight between her and Kari in the parking lot … Or the foyer outside Arthur’s office. Like many other fans, I’d love to see Annie and Auggie get together, but then everything else would be anticlimactic.

    Comment by Susie – March 25, 2011 07:24 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Shows should not have to worry so much about diversity (and viewers should not care so much). They should cast the best person for the part regardless of how diverse that makes the cast.

    Comment by kat – March 25, 2011 07:52 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Thank you kat. I agree 100%.

      Comment by Renee – March 26, 2011 04:18 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • A nice guest would be Yvonne Strahovksi playing her character from Chuck: CIA-agent Sarah Walker while portraing a relative (cousin?) of Annie Walker. Two *ss-kicking blond CIA agents with the same last name is too good a chance to miss without joining them one time wouldn’t you say?

    Comment by Arsimo – March 26, 2011 05:08 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I’m not one to clamor for every set of congenial co-workers on TV to be mashed together romantically. (So, let Annie and Augie remain friends.) But I think Jai, the handsome & intriguing Indian character, should get to have a sizzling relationship with SOMEone! Also don’t get the hate for Rena Sofer . . . her NCIS part was not well-written, but I think she’s a competent actress and certainly gorgeous.

    Comment by Lyn – March 27, 2011 08:49 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I agree with Lyn; Annie hooking up with the first person she met at the CIA? Too easy and too Jennifer Anistonlike. The romance with Mercer is too hot to eliminate, keep it going in some form.

    Comment by Kayem – March 27, 2011 09:29 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I hope Ben Mercer is coming back. Annie and Ben are so good together,if he is not in the show it will make a big difference in watching the show. I love Eion and Piper together. They are really hot together.

    Comment by cathy – April 3, 2011 05:02 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Who cares about Ben Lawson? We want Annie with Ben Mercer! Why do networks refuse to listen to the fans????

    Comment by Kat – May 20, 2011 11:04 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

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