#casting_news

[ladysiuanraine]

Robin Givens has been tapped to play Tiana’s mother on Once Upon a Time, EW has learned exclusively.

As previously announced, Mekia Cox joins the ABC fairy tale drama as Princess and the Frog heroine Tiana, who’s among a quintet of new faces appearing in the show’s rebooted seventh season.

Givens, who currently costars on Riverdale, will pop up in at least one episode as Eudora, a loving mother to Tiana and benevolent noblewoman. Formerly wealthy, now facing financial disaster, she handles the transition with grace and inner moral strength.

Weeks prior to Givens’ casting, Cox actually met her TV mom-to-be in the elevator at their hotel in Vancouver, where the Head of the Class alum is currently shooting Riverdale. “I had come from the grocery store, and there was this woman waiting for the elevator, but I didn’t really see her,” Cox says. “We got on the elevator and I turned and said, ‘Oh, hi! I know you.’ She was like, ‘Oh?’ I know I probably scared her. I was like, ‘I think you’re great.’ ‘Oh, thank you,’ and she looked at my grocery bags and she was like, ‘That’s normally me.’ I was like, ‘I need my own groceries, I can’t eat out every day.’ We had a fun little moment with each other and that was that. Then I came to set and found out she was going to be playing my mother, so when I re-met her, she was like, ‘It’s nice to meet you,’ and I was like, ‘Well, it’s re-meeting because I’m the girl from the elevator.’ She was as excited as I was at that time. She’s the sweetest woman, she’s very down to earth and it’s really awesome getting to work with her and play her daughter.”

[ladysiuanraine]

[ladysiuanraine]

Regina finally get her happy ending this season?

Once Upon a Time's Lana Parrilla Describes Regina's Perfect Match

 Regina (Lana Parrilla) has had a rough time when it comes to romantic soulmates on Once Upon a Time, but Lana Parrilla hasn't given up hope for the formerly Evil Queen finding her match."I don't know, maybe someone that doesn't die!" Parrilla teased when TV Guide asked her what she'd like to see in Regina's next romantic partner. "I just want to see her happy. She's had a lot of happiness and a lot of tragedy. I would like to see consistent happiness for her. I think that she will meet the right person. The other two were right in a different way, but they were taken away from her. I think she'll meet someone that is a good match for her."While Parrilla can't say if Regina is cozying up to someone at the beginning of Season 7, she has put some thoughts into what qualities her next fictional love should have -- so producers take note!

Once Upon a Time: Giles Matthey Is Back for Season 7 

"Someone really strong. I don't just mean physically strong. They have to have a strong heart," she said. "I don't want her to control anyone. I want someone to be a really good match for her. Maybe she's challenged by him in ways -- a mature relationship. I feel like she's matured so much...I don't know who he is yet. I don't think [the producers] know yet."We've got our fingers crossed her dreams come true.