Exclusive

The Following Casting Scoop: True Blood's Carrie Preston to Guest Star as Joe Carroll's "Groupie"

Exclusive! The perennial Good Wife guest star is set to join the Fox hit serial killer thriller when it returns in January 2014

By Tierney Bricker Sep 06, 2013 5:10 PMTags
Carrie Preston Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Looks like True Blood's Arlene is already moving on after Terry's shocking death!

Well, at least her real-life portrayer Carrie Preston is! We've exclusively learned that Preston is set to guest star on the highly anticipated second season of The Following when it returns in January. And the gorgeous redhead will only have eyes for one man on the Fox hit drama: Serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy)!

Yes, Preston is set to play Judy, Joe's most loyal groupie. Basically, she's the Penny Lane of serial-killer groupies! While Joe was believed to be dead at the end of the season-one finale, Purefoy made a surprise appearance during The Following's panel at Comic-Con in July, which confirmed his return as a series regular.

But Judy isn't the only newbie Following fans will be meeting in season two: As we first revealed, Homeland alum Valerie Cruz has signed on to play NYPD detective Gina Mendez, who will work closely with Agent Weston, while 90210 vet Jessica Stroup has landed a series-regular role as Ryan's (Kevin Bacon) cop niece. Plus, Connie Nielsen (Gladiator) will play a love interest for Ryan, and Dexter actor Sam Underwood will stir up trouble as a new baddie for the FBI to contend with.

Preston is most known for her work as flighty waitress and mom Arlene on the HBO hit series True Blood, which will end after its upcoming seventh season. "I'm sad, but we have 1 more season to keep making it better," Preston, who is married to Lost and Person of Interest star Michael Emerson, tweeted of the news.

The actress recently earned an Emmy nod for her guest work as Elsbeth Tascioni on CBS' hit legal drama The Good Wife, which she is also set to return to when its fifth season debuts this month. Given that The Following's creator Kevin Williamson has tweeted his love for The Good Wife and True Blood, it's not too surprising to see Preston pop up on one his series!

The Following is set to return in January 2014.

Are you excited to see Preston get her groupie on for Joe? Sound off in the comments!

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