Another doctor with a complicated past is about to find a fresh start in “Virgin River.” Natasha Calis, who currently portrays Hayley Roberts on the Paramount+ medical drama “SkyMed,” has been tapped for a key recurring role in the upcoming eighth season of the Netflix drama, Deadline reports.
Calis will play a “brashly confident” surgical resident” named Astrid “who finds herself assigned to a rotation in Doc’s clinic after mysteriously being placed on probation,” reads Astrid’s official character description. “Her bedside manner may be lacking, but she’s willing to do almost anything to get out of Virgin River and back in the surgical wing.”
Calis’ experience playing a medical professional goes far beyond her work on “SkyMed.” She previously starred in the Canadian drama “Nurses,” and she even appeared in an episode of ABC’s “The Good Doctor.”
Astrid’s arrival in town comes after a time of great turmoil for Virgin River’s medical community. Season 7 found Doc’s medical license temporarily suspended pending a reinstatement from a close-minded review board. Though Doc was permitted to practice medicine by the end of the season, he couldn’t prevent a neighboring hospital in Grace Valley from expanding into Virgin River — an endeavor spearheaded by Dr. Hayes, the same man who championed to have Doc stripped of his license.
Virgin River Season 8 adds Mitchell Slaggert as ‘charismatic’ EMT
Of course, Dr. Astrid isn’t the only new face coming to “Virgin River” in Season 8. As previously reported, Mitchell Slaggert (“Landman”) will recur as a “charismatic” EMT named Eddie.
According to his official character description, Eddie “may surprise you by fixing your soul along with your body. He’s a laidback charmer who never pictured himself in a small town, but with natural curiosity and a zeal for life, Eddie is going to explore all that Virgin River has to offer.”
In addition to his work on the Paramount+ drama “Landman,” Slaggert is also known for playing Jackson on HBO Max’s ill-fated “The Sex Lives of College Girls” (pictured above).
An official release date for Season 8 has yet to be announced. How do you feel about these two additions, and what are your hopes for the future of “Virgin River”? Drop your thoughts in a comment below.