Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell join 'Scream 4' cast

The 'True Blood' and 'Gossip Girl' actresses join the new gang in Wes Craven's forthcoming sequel

By HitFix Staff Wednesday, Aug 25, 2010 3:33 PM

Anna Paquin at the 2010 Comic-Con

Credit: AP Photo

“Scream 4” may have lost an actress from “Twilight” for its cast, but gained a star from a different vampire phenom altogether. “True Blood’s” Anna Paquin is joining the set of the thriller, along with Kristen Bell.

Back in May, we reported that “Twilight” star Ashley Greene had walked away from the project and that that Emma Roberts ("Nancy Drew," "Valentine's Day,") took her place. A Bell of a different variety – Lake Bell – was also rumored to be added to the cast, but now this puts Kristen Bell with another “Heroes” alum Hayden Panettiere.

Other new character cast members include Marielle Jaffe, Rory Culkin, Nico Tortorella, Erik Knudsen, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Marley Shelton, Alison Brie and Mary McDonnell. The Weinstein company already confirmed that Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox Arquette would reprise their roles from the first three films. Principal production for the Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson collaboration started back in late June.

Bell was in our headlines this week as she appeared in the bizarre music video for Yeasayer’s “Madder Red.” She also continues to voice-over “Gossip Girl” and will perform alongside Cher and Christina Aguilera in “Burlesque.”

Paquin – who just recently married “True Blood” co-star Stephen Moyer – is set to present an award at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday (Aug. 29), and will be seen starring in the long-delayed Kenneth Lonnergan project “Margaret” sometime next year. Season three of “True Blood” premiered in June.

"Scream 4" is currently scheduled for an April 15, 2011 release.