More Television Critic's Association (TCA) news revealed: Isaiah Washington, recently of "Grey's Anatomy" fame who was fired, has landed a whale of a reprieve role in the NBC drama "Bionic Woman" and even has prospects for his own network series.
Isaiah Washington - © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi
Washington said Monday he's "grateful" for a second chance.
"I'm humbled by this opportunity," Washington told The Associated Press, shortly before NBC announced he would be joining its new series "Bionic Woman" for a five-episode stint.
Washington and NBC Universal Studios also are developing an action series announced at TCA in Beverly Hills.
Washington catagorized his firing from the ABC's medical show after his use of an anti-gay slur was "an unfortunate misunderstanding for everyone" that he was eager to move forward.
"What I always wanted to put at the forefront is my creativity, that thing I want to do, which is act," Washington said to AP reporters.
NBC's chief Ben Silverman had a mutual friend with Washington that spurred a meeting with Silverman and Washington after he lost his ABC job.
Silverman told attending reporters at the TCA event said he wasn't worried about any residual ill-will towards Washington. Silverman assured that focus would be on the actor's work and his contribution to "Bionic Woman," which Silverman described to the AP as "one of our most important shows."
"I really thought about him as an actor... I feel like he's a wonderful actor and everyone deserves a second chance," he told The AP.
It was fashion designer Oswald Boateng who called his pal Silverman, Washington said to the AP.
Washington was struck by Silverman's enthusiasm for him, and thought he was just being kind. "I'm gonna go home and cry in my bed," he realled to the AP. But the next day he got a call from his agent saying that Silverman wanted him to be part of NBC.
In the remake of the classic tv show, "Bionic Woman," will have Washington play "a mysterious person who is brought into the enigmatic scientific organization" responsible for creating bionic Jamie Sommers (Michelle Ryan), according to NBC.
NBC and its studio also are developing what was described as an "action-series project" with Washington that is based on an idea of Washington's, reports the AP.
Your Talkback on this Story