Not sure if there's been a thread on this, but this just in from Fox for Season 6:

JAMES CROMWELL AND EDDIE IZZARD CLOCK-IN ON “24”


Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor James Cromwell (“Babe,” “Six Feet Under”) and Emmy Award-winning actor Eddie Izzard (“Dress to Kill,” “My Super Ex-Girlfriend”) join the season six cast of 24, this year’s most Emmy Award-winning television series, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Kiefer Sutherland) and Outstanding Drama Series. The clock for “Day Six” will begin to tick in January, Mondays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

The highly respected Cromwell will recur this season as PHILLIP BAUER, the estranged father of JACK BAUER (Sutherland), while British actor/comedian Izzard will portray a villainous accomplice, DARREN McCARTHY. In addition to Cromwell and Izzard, newcomers joining the pulse-pounding thriller include Kal Penn (“Harold & Kumar”), Marisol Nichols (“In Justice”), Alexander Siddig (“Syriana”) and Harry Lennix (“Commander in Chief”). Eric Balfour and Carlo Rota will reprise their respective roles as CTU contractors MILO PRESSMAN and MORRIS O’BRIAN.

Season five concluded with a battered and bloodied Bauer captured by Chinese government agents and headed for points unknown. Season six picks up 20 months later. Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), the strong-minded brother of the late President David Palmer, is now himself the President of the United States, while his sister, Sandra Palmer (Regina King), is a determined and powerful advocacy lawyer. After a series of horrific terrorist attacks, Palmer and his team of advisors, KAREN Hayes (Jayne Atkinson) and THOMAS LENNOX (Peter MacNicol) – as well as CTU colleagues CHLOE O’BRIAN (Mary Lynn Rajskub), CURTIS MANNING (Roger Cross) and BILL BUCHANAN (James Morrison) – begin an unthinkable, nail-biting day.

24, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, is a production of Real Time Productions and Imagine Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran, Howard Gordon, Evan Katz, Jon Cassar, Kiefer Sutherland and Brian Grazer are the executive producers.

Already a 24: Season 6 Casting Thread

A big thumbs up to James Cromwell!

A bigger thumbs up to Eddie Izzard !

Yes, I always enjoy his work. But he'll never top Babe!

Chris

He was Zephram Cochran!!!

I thought Cromwell was great on Six Feet Under and I'm sure he'll be awesome here. Don't really picture him as Jack's dad, but he should still be a great addition.

I don't mind the casting of Cromwell but it would have been perfect if they were able to get his real life dad Donald Sutherland.

Agreed. It will be so cool to see him every week on 24. Can't wait!

Wayne Palmer is now the POTUS?




PLEASE!

I think James Cromwell is a terrific character actor, but I don't see him as Daddy Bauer. Eddie Izzard becoming a cast member is even more out of left field than "President Wayne Palmer". That should be very interesting. His background is in comedy, but so was Mary Lynn Rajskub's and she fits in great on the show.

BTW, it picks up 20 months later? That's approximately 9 years after Season 1. Jack's gotta be pushing 50 at this point.

Really? That's a good observation.

Chris

I'm not sure I like the idea of Eddie Izzard on "24"

All of the other times I've seen him play a villain (Avengers, My Super Ex-Girlfriend) he's been extremely campy

I think of him more as a the new Charles Nelson Reilly

It would be exactly 9 years, but I doubt Jack was in his 40's in the first season. More likely mid to late 30's.

I wouldn't worry about it. In 5 seasons, 24 has never allowed itself to sink to the level of camp. In fact, I think Jack's only made a wisecrack once in the show's entire run.


Well, he and Teri had a teenage daughter who had to be at least 15, so I'd say the youngest he could've been was late 30's(unless he knocked Teri up in high school).

James Cromwell always seems to play such calm and kind people in his roles, it's hard to see someone like him raising Jack Bauer, it'll be interesting to see how he plays this role.

Yeah, I don't know about that. I mean think how much trouble Wayne got himself and others in just when he was the brother of the President. The screws up like it's his job. Now his job is the President of the country? Yikes.

He was pretty ruthless in L.A. Confidential.

That'll do Pig!

So Jack has been held captive for 20 months? Ouch. There can't be much left of him by this point. Unless the Chinese did a Manchurian Candidate on him.

It doesn't mean he was held captive for 20 months necessarily. It just means the show picks up 20 months after the finale. So, that could hypothetically mean that Jack was held captive for, say, 8 months, and 12 additional months later we pick up the show with season six.

Or 5 minutes, before he broke free and killed them all.

And then obviously he swam back. That probably took the longest.

More Casting News:

EMMY AWARD-WINNING ACTOR CHAD LOWE TO SPEND TIME ON “24”

Season Six Premieres with 2-Night, 4-Hour Event
Sunday, January 14, and Monday, January 15, on FOX


As the highly anticipated premiere of 24’s Season Six approaches, Emmy Award-winner Chad Lowe (“Life Goes On”) joins 2006’s most Emmy Award-winning television series. The clock for “Day Six” starts ticking with a 2-night, 4-hour television event Sunday, Jan. 14 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Monday, Jan. 15 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. The show’s regular time period premiere is Monday, Jan. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

As previously announced, fans around the globe can take their first look at Season Six by visiting www.24trailer.com on Tuesday, Oct. 24 (3:00 PM ET/Noon PT).

Lowe will play savvy politico REED POLLOCK. He joins a list of notable newcomers this season, including Peter MacNicol (“Ally McBeal”), Regina King (“Ray”), James Cromwell (“Babe”), Kal Penn (“Harold & Kumar”), Marisol Nichols (“In Justice”), Alexander Siddig (“Syriana”) and Harry Lennix (“Commander in Chief”).

Season Five concluded with a battered and bloodied JACK BAUER (Kiefer Sutherland) captured by Chinese government agents and headed for points unknown. Season Six picks up 20 months later and will feature Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), the strong-minded brother of the late President David Palmer; presidential advisor KAREN Hayes (Jayne Atkinson); and CTU colleagues CHLOE O’BRIAN (Mary Lynn Rajskub), CURTIS MANNING (Roger Cross) and BILL BUCHANAN (James Morrison). Eric Balfour and Carlo Rota will reprise their respective roles as CTU contractors MILO PRESSMAN and MORRIS O’BRIAN.

24, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, is a production of Real Time Productions and Imagine Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran, Howard Gordon, Evan Katz, Jon Cassar, Kiefer Sutherland and Brian Grazer are the executive producers.

I wonder if Chad Lowe will break down and cry at any point in the season.

We should start taking bets to see who the mole is this year.