Adrianne Palicki to star as Mockingbird on 'Agents of SHIELD'

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Adrianne Palicki has joined the cast of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The 31-year-old actress will portray Bobbi Morse, a biologist who becomes the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Mockingbird. The character possesses genius intellect and superior fighting skills, but does not have superhuman powers.

Palicki will appear as Mockingbird in the fifth episode of the second season, with the possibility of a recurring role. The actress is best known for portraying Tyra Collette on NBC series Friday Night Lights, and also appeared in Red Dawn and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiered on ABC in 2013, and centers on agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). The character appeared to die in Marvel film The Avengers (2012), but the television series posits he survived and continued to oversee S.H.I.E.L.D. operations. Other new season two cast members include Lucy Lawless as Isabelle Hartly, Kyle MacLachlan as Skye's (Chloe Bennet) father, Reed Diamond as Hydra villain Daniel Whitehall, aka Kraken, Nick Blood as a mercenary, Henry Simmons as agent Alphonso "Mac" Mackenzie and Simon Kassianides as Bakshi.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season two premieres September 23 on ABC.