I’ve kept up with Sons of Anarchy over the years, but I was pretty much hate-watching the last two seasons. It was hard to keep up with all the plot twists, allegiances and double-crossing and at times I didn’t bother. There were some excellent subplots, particularly the one involving Walton Goggins (Justified) as a transgender escort named Venus. Plus I really loved the shock ending this last season. We got to see a character whom I found particularly grating meet a spectacular end. (I know that sounds terrible, but it’s just a show!)
The good news is that Goggins is set to return to Sons of Anarchy this upcoming and last eighth season, which premieres this fall. The questionable news is that producers have announced two other guest stars that sound like stunt casting: Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson. (We first heard about Manson’s casting back in May.) Who else will show up in Charming – Travis Barker and Billie Joe Armstrong? Dave Navarro was seriously already on, it’s not out of the question.
The FX drama has tapped rocker Courtney Love to join Season 7 in a pivotal, multi-episode arc, TVLine has learned exclusively.
In what marks her dramatic TV acting debut, Love will play Ms. Harrison, the straight-shooting preschool teacher of Jax’s eldest son, Abel. Look for Love’s educator to take a special interest in Abel — which will likely spark an interesting reaction from the boy’s mother Wendy (newly-minted series regular Drea de Matteo).
Love, who put the brakes on her acting career of late, won raves (and a Golden Globe nod) for her supporting work in 1996′s The People vs. Larry Flynt. Roles in the Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon and the Kiefer Sutherland drama Beat followed.
This is hardly the first time SOA has gone to the music well to cast key parts. Dave Navarro recurred as a gang member in Seasons 5 and 6. And Marilyn Manson is set to appear in Season 7 as a prison power player who has dealings with Jax.
Courtney Love can act, I remember her turn in The People vs. Larry Flynt. That was in 1996 though, her brain is surely addled from whatever she’s done to it in two decades. I would be surprised if she’s at all reliable and able to consistently show up on set.
As far as Marilyn Manson, the only time I’ve ever seen him in anything was in Bowling for Columbine, where he thoughtfully addressed the allegations that his music negatively influenced the Columbine killers. He was pretty soft spoken and I was impressed at how intelligent he came across. Rewatching that interview makes me wonder whether he’ll be in his stage makeup for SOA. I bet he’ll at least wear guyliner, like Navarro did for his brief story arc. (I really hated the whole school shooting and heroin addict storyline that Navarro was involved in, that seemed unnecessary.)
We’ll see what happens with Courtney and Manson’s characters. I hope Courtney doesn’t have a romance with Jax. Jax is a dog and it bugs me when he hooks up with randoms, but that’s who he is.
Here are some recent photos from the Sons of Anarchy set. Charlie Hunnam is hottest to me when he’s on his bike.
Check out this pic Hunnam took with a fan. Cute!
Photo credit: WENN.com
I really needed to see some Jax right now..scruffy hotness. YUM.
Delish isn’t he?
Didn’t Manson do East Bound and Down? And pretty well, too?
He was also in party monster.
And a small part in Jawbreaker
Still glad he didnt get to do 50 shades of grey
I’m weary about this season.
They’ve made this show basically about Gemma and I’m over it, doesn’t help with the actress being married to the writer.
I’m really hoping Jax takes her out this season (I never even liked Tara) BUT this was just wrong on so many levels.
I completely agree! I enjoy Jemma but this isn’t her show, it’s supposed to be about the club, not her. She used to be this mama bear type who watched out for everyone and kept it all together but now she is just psychotic. Not an entertaining-psychotic either!
Kurt sutter has said its his take on Macbeth. That said I like what he’s done with the Gemma character. What hes done with Jax pissrs me off.
Courtney Love is doing SOA. Soooo…I need to watch SOA.
YESSSSSS!!!!! I must start watching, too. I love Courtney Love!!!
I love/get-frustrated-by SOA.
To me, almost every casting announcement has always sounded like NO, like a stunt or too obvious. BUT, I will say (aside from Navarro) every casting decision has worked out to be awesome. I thought Jimmy Smits was a bit obvious, now Nero is a fave character. I wasn’t stoked on Robocop but (Peter Weller? Is that who it is?) is great too.
Walton Goggins for life, Venus is amazing. Courtney Love was great in “Larry Flynt” so I believe this will be good and I’ll trust them on Manson who I’ve never seen act but I’m down for it.
My only complaint is the announcement of who Manson will play because it’s sort of a spoiler that Jax will in fact go to prison (unsure at the end of season 6 with Tara dead whether or not he would have to fulfill terms of deal). Bring on the final season
Aw, the pic with Charlie and the fan is super cute. He seems like a really nice guy.
He really, really is.
I think Courtney Love will be good. This isn’t the first time they’ve had a musician on the show. In the second season Henry Rollins played a white supremacist and he was really good. Also, that Goggins,(transgender) character went no where. I didn’t get the point of that character.
The whole show is a stunt. Im kind of surprised by the amount of racism on the show as well, not that I’m easily offended but this is one of the biggest shows on tv.
Sigh. It is a show about bikers. Many bikers are racists. If they excluded that, it would be ridiculous and unrealistic. Sometimes showing prejudice in shows serves to open our eyes to it more. Whitewashing everything (particular groups, eras, etc) is a mistake. We should show humans in all of their ugliness, not try and pretend that everything’s rainbows and holding hands. I think it would be more insulting to pretend that groups like this aren’t racists.
Manson is incredibly intelligent, he’s not shallow at all.
Wasn’t Courtney just pretty much acting as herself in Larry Flynt ?
Sounds like total stunt casting to me. I watch the show, but don’t love it like many do.
I agree. it is kind of cartoony, if that’s a word.
Courtney seems pretty determined and (sober) professional in the last couple of years. I think she’ll do well.
Its her fiftieth birthday today. The woman is a force of nature, a survivor. Her new songs haven’t grabbed me, but I find her forever intriguing.
The upcoming season that will be the last is the seventh season, not the eighth. I can’t wait for the new season; I now dislike so many characters (*ahem* Gemma, Juice, Tig!) that I hope there’ll be some good wrap up. And I can’t not wait for Venus Love! The Southern Belle that does not tell! 😛
I read Marilyn Mansons book many years ago and was also struck by how intelligent he is.
Manson is a very smart, soft spoken, generous guy. He always comes off very caring to me. I always head scratch when people say “ERW dated him! Gross!” Um, why? He seems like a good guy to me, better than a lot of celebs.
It is both stunt casting, and a good idea. If she can stay sober enough to film.
Courtney Love stayed sober and professional while filming the Larry Flynt movie, so I am sure she will do the same here. Admittedly, I am kind of a CL fan, so I am excited to see what she does.
What I want to know is whether Beck and Hanson will also be joining the cast? The New Radicals expected this back in 1998. “Fashion Shoots with Beck and Hanson, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson….”
Love Charlie but also hate how low they have taken Jax. In the beginning you think maybe the good side of Jax will prevail …..but as each season goes by its more and more evident that he can’t be saved. And Gemma…..she’s just gone from being protective momma to just BAD. Her character needs to get her comeuppance.
I love me some Tig though, I have from day one! He is a sick bastard but he is who I would run to in a massive building destroying bomb explosion!