A.K.A. JESSICA JONES Casts Rachael Taylor as Hellcat

Jessica Jones is making friends.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that the upcoming Netflix series A.K.A. Jessica Jones has cast Rachael Taylor in the role of Patricia "Trish" Walker, better known to Marvel Comics fans as Patsy Walker, a.k.a. the Avenger called Hellcat.

According to the article, Walker is "Jessica's best friend, who works as a syndicated radio talk show host, former model and child TV star known to her adoring fans as 'Patsy' Walker. As Jessica's closest friend, Trish helps her embark on the most dangerous case of Jessica's career."

Taylor, 30, is probably best known as Maggie Madsen in the 2007 film Transformers.  In addition, she's appeared on the television series Crisis, 666 Park Avenue, Charlie's Angels (2011), and Grey's Anatomy.  This will be her second Marvel Comics-related role, after her appearance in the 2005 movie adaptation of Man-Thing.

Created in 1944 by Ruth Atkinson, Patsy Walker first appeared in Miss America Magazine #2 a teen romantic-comedy character until she was reconceived as a superhero in 1972's Amazing Adventures (vol.2) #13 by writer Steve Englehart.  She later hooked up with the Avengers on a couple of adventures, took Tigra's old costume as The Cat, and formally adopted the superhero identity of Hellcat in 1976's The Avengers (vol.1) #144.

Hellcat switched over to join the Defenders in 1977 and eventually met Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, whom she later married.  Becoming an occult investigator, Patsy was driven mad and ended her life through suicide before being resurrected in Thunderbolts 2000 Annual.  After briefly rejoining the Defenders, Patsy has recently assisted her fellow Avenger Jennifer Walters, a.k.a. She-Hulk, on various cases as a private investigator for her law firm.

A.K.A. Jessica Jones is scheduled to debut on Netflix sometime in late 2015 or early 2016.