'Nashville' season 5 cast news, spoilers: Casting for major new character underway; will Rayna die in season 5?

Following the news that "Nashville" star Connie Britton could be exiting the series early in season 5, CMT is reportedly seeking to add another major character, possibly to fill the void Britton leaves in the wake of her departure.

According to Entertainment Weekly, CMT, which picked up "Nashville" after it was dropped by ABC last May, has put out a casting notice for a character called Clay. The nationwide casting is just beginning even though "Nashville" began production for its upcoming season five weeks ago.

EW reported that Clay will play a significant role in the new season, which is being written with the hopes of returning "Nashville" to its musical origins. The character is described as a 20-something African American musician who is "creative, self-aware, [and] highly motivated." He goes through severe mood swings but is friendly and charming. Clay's musical style is described as "eclectic, with modern elements but also nods to roots black music, bluegrass, and even classic country."

Meanwhile, various media outlets reported last month that Britton is eyeing an early exit from the musical drama's fifth season. According to TV Line, sources claimed that the actress will appear in 10 out of the 22 season 5 episodes and that it is unclear how Rayna, Britton's character, will be written out of the show. On the other hand, EW reported that a source said that Britton's deal is not yet final and that the "Nashville" team remains hopeful that she will stick around for more episodes.

More recently, TV Line reported about Britton's season 5 exit, saying that while it is still unknown how Rayna's story will be capped off in "Nashville," there have been casting reports that the character will be dealing with a stalker in season 5. It is unclear if the rumored stalker will have anything to do with the conclusion of Rayna's story (or her life).

"Nashville" season 5 debuts with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, on CMT. Episodes will stream the day after on Hulu.