'Bates Motel' season 5 cast news, latest updates: Austin Nichols of 'The Walking Dead' returns to the show

(Facebook/ BatesMotelAETV)"Bates Motel" casts Austin Nichols

Austin Nichols, who played Spencer in AMC's "The Walking Dead," is rejoining the cast of A&E's "Bates Motel" season 5 in the TV series' final run this coming February.

Nichols will play the recurring role of Sam Loomis, a charismatic character who appears in White Pine Bay and develops a compromising relationship with Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) after involving the latter in his web of lies.

The fifth and final season of the prequel to the movie "Psycho" will be set two years after the death of Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) and will follow Norman's challenges of living a double life. When interacting with people from White Pine Bay, Norman appears to be a happy, well-mannered, and well-adjusted person. Unknown to his acquaintances, Norman starts to struggle with his continues blackouts where another strong personality threatens to take over.

Singer and song writer Rihanna will also join the cast of season 5 as Marion Crane. Crane, in Alfred Hitchcock's classic movie "Psycho," was a temptress who drove Norma crazy with jealousy. Rihanna's part in the TV series was announced during the San Diego Comic-Con where executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin explained how they came to cast the singer.

"We wanted to thrust the iconic role into a contemporary spotlight and redefine it in a meaningful and exciting new way. We also heard Rihanna was a fan of the show, and we were huge fans of hers, so it was the perfect collision of creativity and fate," Cuse and Ehrin revealed in a statement.

Moreover, reports also reveal that Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell) — filled with thoughts of vengeance — will try to find an opportunity to get back at his stepson. Farmiga is also expected to still appear in season 5 even after her death in the finale of season 4.

Max Thieriot will direct his first episode in season 5, while Nestor Carbonell will mark his third directorial work with the TV series. Highmore also previously revealed that he will co-write an episode with showrunners Ehrin and Cuse.

"Bates Motel" season 5 premieres on Feb. 20, Monday, 10 p.m. EDT on A&E.

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