The Dead Man Walking star was set to reunite with her Lorenzo's Oil co-star Nick Nolte in TV series Graves, but Sarandon exited the project last month (Sep15) due to "artistic differences."

Ward has now stepped in to play Nolte's wife in the show, about the actor's ex-president character, who attempts to right his administration's wrongs as his wife seeks to fulfil her own political ambitions.

Graves is due to premiere next autumn (16), in the run-up to the real-life race for the White House, which is likely to feature former U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton's bid to become America's first female president.