It comes as something of a surprise, but “Girls” star Allison Williams has been cast in the title role of the upcoming “Peter Pan Live” production on NBC — where her dad, Brian Williams, of course, is the longtime anchor of NBC Nightly News.
While the network had wanted to cast the much more petite Kristen Bell for the role, her commitment to “House of Lies,” prevented her from playing Peter — and the several months of rehearsals required before the Dec. 4 live telecast.
Williams joins the already-announced Christopher Walken, who will portray Captain Hook in the musical classic.
In a statement, Williams said Wednesday, “I have wanted to play Peter Pan since I was about three years old, so this is a dream come true. It’s such an honor to be a part of this adventure, and I’m very excited to get to work with this extraordinarily talented team.
“And besides, what could go wrong in a live televised production with simultaneous flying, sword fighting and singing,” added Williams, showcasing a nice comedic touch.
Based on the original 1954 Broadway musical, “Peter Pan Live,” is NBC’s follow-up to his very successful 2013 telecast of “The Sound of Music Live” with Carrie Underwood, which attracted 18.6 million viewers last December.
