LONDON, UK - Steven Spielberg has decided to opt out for celebrity names for his new £100 million TV series casting an unknown actress instead.
Shelley Conn, unknown to mainstream audiences, has been given the star role in the upcoming Terra Nova US series, with co-star Stephen Lang, who acted in James Cameron's Avatar.
The surprise casting of the British/Indian actress shows Spielberg's distinctive choice for the series, and will no doubt bring much attention to Shelley Conn, who previously had minor roles in TV shows such as Casualty, and BBC's Mistresses .
Terra Nova will be one of Steven Spielberg's largest productions ever, and will incorporate some of the concepts that founded the Jurassic Park movies, which have become cult classics.
So far, Hollywood has made little noise of the casting, as not much is known about the actress, since she has never been interviewed by a mainstream media outlet.
Terra Nova will begin filming in Australia this month, premiering in May 2011.