'Nashville' spoilers, cast news: Rachel Bilson, Kaitlin Doubleday join cast as series regulars

Rachel Bilson and Kaitlin Doubleday have been cast as series regulars of CMT's "Nashville" in the wake of Connie Britton's departure.

Bilson herself made the announcement on her Instagram account, which was later confirmed by the show's producers. In a statement, "Nashville" showrunner Marshall Herskovitz said, "We welcome Rachel and Kaitlin into our incredibly talented ensemble. We fondly anticipate the second half of the season filled with surprising twists and turns that make 'Nashville' so beloved by fans."

Little information has been revealed about the characters of Bilson and Doubleday, only that both will be joining the rest of the cast for the remaining episodes of season 5. It is speculated that the former's role will have something to do with Highway 65 Records, while the latter will be involved with the Bluebird Café, following the actors' posts on their social media accounts.

Bilson is best known for playing Summer Roberts in the teen-oriented show "The O.C.," which ran from 2003 to 2007. She also played Dr. Zoe Hart in the CW series "Hart of Dixie," which aired from 2011 to 2015. Doubleday, meanwhile, played Rhonda Ryon on the FOX musical drama series "Empire."

"Nashville" shocked its fans when it killed Britton's character, Rayna James, one of the lead stars of the show, in a car crash. The actor said it was her decision to leave the show, describing her exit as the right time to do so.

In an interview with Deadline, Herskovitz said that the addition of two cast members was not because of Britton leaving the show. "Don't think any of them is related to her death," he said, saying that it was their intention even before Britton's decision to leave that they were planning on adding cast members on the second half of season 5.

"Nashville" is currently on a mid-season hiatus. No official date for the season's return has been released yet.