New Zealand native Bowler is best known to TV viewers as werewolf Cooter on "True Blood," as well as the love interest of Vanessa Williams' Wilhelmina on "Ugly Betty." He recently guest-starred on the ABC primetime soap "GCB."
"We had seen (Bowler) on tape and liked him, but wanted to confirm the chemistry between the two," "Liz & Dick" producer Larry Thompson told E! News. "But this morning we had Lindsay and Grant come into a room at Lifetime and the chemistry exploded. It was just Fourth of July firecrackers going off in the room. We knew from the chemistry that Liz and Dick live again.
"Chemistry means movie magic for sex," Thompson said. "This movie will definitely have as much sex as Lifetime will allow."
Burton was Taylor's fifth -- and sixth -- husband. The couple began an affair while filming "Cleopatra" (and while married to other people) and married for the first time in March 1964. They divorced in June 1974, re-married in October 1975 and divorced again in July 1976.
"Liz & Dick" is scheduled to begin filming June 4, for a possible fall premiere.
