CASTLE ROCK: Paul Sparks Replacing Garrett Hedlund As The Bully In Season 2

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Deadline reports Paul Sparks will take over the role of John “Ace” Merrill, Castle Rock’s legendary bully, a lead in the second season of Castle Rock. The series is a psychological horror series for Hulu by J.J. Abrams and Stephen King. Sparks is replacing Garret Hedlund, who was originally cast in the role. The recasting was a creative decision related to the character of Ace, and Sparks will reshoot all of the scenes Hedlund had filmed.

Ace is taking over his uncle Pop’s (played by Tim Robbins, a casting bit we exclusively revealed) businesses and threatening the fragile peace surrounding Jerusalem’s Lot. This will be in addition to the feud between warring clans that boils up when Annie Wilkes (Lizzy Caplan), a budding psychopath comes to Castle Rock. The show’s season 2 cast includes Yusra Warsama, Barkhad Adbi, Elsie Fisher and Matthew Alan. The developers for Castle Rock include Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason who also serve as executive producers alongside Abrams, King, Ben Stephenson, Vince Calandra, and Liz Glotzer. Castle Rock is produced by Bad Robot Productions as well as Warner Bros. Television.

Sparks is well known for his work in House of Cards as Thomas Yates which earned him a nomination for an Emmy. He also played Mickey Doyle in Boardwalk Empire. His most recent work includes Starz’s Sweetbitter, which recently finished production on season 2. He’s also had a starring role in Waco, a limited series from Paramount Network, as well as Netflix’s The Crown. His feature film credits include The Greatest Showman alongside Hugh Jackman, where he played James Gordon Bennet Sr., and his upcoming films include Ford v. Ferrari, and Human Capital.

Sparks is a fantastic actor, I’ve seen him in guest spots on Person of Interest and The Crown, and his starring role on House of Cards. He’ll be a great addition to Castle Rock.

Are you excited about this choice? Let us know in the comments below!

SOURCE: Deadline