‘Lethal Weapon’: Seann William Scott’s Character Revealed

Lethal Weapon season 3 will introduce a new co-lead played by Seann William Scott when it returns in the fall, after Clayne Crawford was fired at the end of the previous season.

Scott will play Wesley Cole, described as a war veteran and a father.

According to Deadline, former Psych star Maggie Lawson will also join the cast as Wesley’s ex and mother of his child in a recurring role for season 3.

Lawson will play Natalie Flynn, an emergency room surgeon and Wesley Cole’s ex-girlfriend. The two met in an active war zone years earlier (where Natalie served as a medic) and had a brief romance that led to a child.

Over a decade later, Cole is once again a regular in Natalie’s ER — he relocated to Los Angeles to be closer to both her and their child.

Scott was cast to star in the Fox series opposite Damon Wayans on Lethal Weapon, replacing original co-lead Clay Crawford, whose option was not picked up due to on-set behavior issues.

At the time, the network and WBTC only said that Scott would play a new character who would partner with Wayans’ Murtaugh. There was talk that Scott could play a brother to Crawford’s Riggs though that does not appear to be the case.

“Seann is a fantastic addition to this already amazing cast,” Michael Thorn, Fox president of entertainment said. “Lethal Weapon is packed with action, drama and pure fun and we can’t wait to see Damon and Seann together on screen. Matt Miller, his incredible team and everyone at Warner Bros. have been tremendous partners, and we’re thrilled to bring this show back for another season.”

This will be Scott’s first regular role on a network series ever. The actor is best known for his starring role in the American Pie franchise and has a long list of movie credits, including Road Trip, Role Models, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Rundown, Dude Where’s My Car? and Just Before I Go.

Fox reportedly opted for a shortened third season — season 1 was 18 episodes and season 2 was 22 — given that fans are already not pleased with Crawford’s exit from the show, despite many reports of aggressive behavior on set.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. confirmed the announcement, adding that the studio “decided not to renew Clayne Crawford’s contract for Lethal Weapon after reports of disruptive behavior on set.

“It wasn’t our choice,” Fox co-chairman Dana Walden told reporters of the casting switch. “Our partners at Warner Brothers came to us and said that they could not deliver the show as it was.”

Lethal Weapon will return for its third season Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.