February 8, 2013 - 12:43 AMT
Miranda Otto to topline “Rake” Fox comedic drama pilot

Miranda Otto has been tapped as the female lead opposite Greg Kinnear in the Fox comedic drama pilot Rake, which also has cast Emily Owens, MD‘s Necar Zadegan. Additionally, Otto has booked a co-starring role opposite Tommy Lee Jones, Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank in the movie The Homesman, written and directed by Jones, Deadline said.

Based on the Australian series, Rake, from the original series’ creator Peter Duncan, Peter Tolan and Sony TV, follows the chaotic and comedic life of criminal defense lawyer Keegan Joye (Kinnear), brilliant, frustratingly charming, and with zero filter. In addition to Keegan’s cases within the justice system, the show follows his personal trials and tribulations, including his ongoing battle against the IRS, his mounting debt to his bookie, overlapping affairs and liaisons with women, a hormonal son, an exhausted ex-wife, Maddy (Otto), and the evolving relationship between his two married best friends, Ben and Scarlett (Zadegan). Maddy is described as an earth-mother — grounded, caring, smart, and not a push-over who is begrudgingly acting as Keegan’s psychiatrist. Scarlett was part of the law school crowd who used to hook up with Keegan.

The Homesman is set in 19th century Nebraska and centers on a tough woman (Streep) tasked to transport three mentally ill women to an asylum in Iowa, who employs the help of a reluctant claim jumper (Jones). Otto will play one of the mentally ill women. Otto is with Gersh and Management 360. Zadegan with Innovative and Ovadia Management.