HBO lures three more to "Boardwalk"

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "The Wire" alum Michael Kenneth Williams, Dabney Coleman and Paz de la Huerta have joined the cast of HBO's Martin Scorsese-directed drama pilot "Boardwalk Empire."

Written by Terence Winter, "Empire" chronicles the early 20th century origins of Atlantic City and revolves around Nucky Johnson (Steve Buscemi), who runs a liquor-distribution ring, and Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt), his ruthless flunky.

De la Huerta, whose feature credits include "The Limits of Control" and "Enter the Void," will play Lucy, Nucky's girlfriend, a party girl. Williams will play Chalky White, the de facto mayor of Chickenbone Beach, Atlantic City's black section. He's an intelligent ex-boxer and confidant of Nucky's who rules his community with an iron fist.

Coleman will play Commodore Kaestner, Nucky's predecessor and mentor.

Production on "Boardwalk" started Tuesday on the East Coast.

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)