Vanessa Williams joins 'The Good Wife' for Season 7

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Actress and recording artist Vanessa Williams is to begin a recurring role on The Good Wife in November, CBS announced Monday.

Williams, 52, will play Courtney Boalt, "an extremely successful, self-made businesswoman who is potentially interested in backing Peter Florrick's campaign for president," press notes for Season 7 said. "In the process, she meets Eli Gold, [played by Alan Cumming,] sparking a mutual attraction."

Chris Noth plays Florrick, while Julianna Margulies plays his spouse Alicia.

"There are very few names you can put side-by-side that make you laugh," executive producers Robert and Michelle King said in a joint statement. "Alan Cumming and Vanessa Williams are at the top of that list. We couldn't be more excited."

Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty alum Williams was the first African-American Miss America, but she was forced to relinquish her crown near the end of her term in 1984 after nude photos of her were sold to and published by Penthouse magazine without her permission.

Sam Haskell, the current chief executive officer of the Miss America organization, who was not involved in the pageant at the time of Williams' reign, this month apologized to Williams for "anything that was said or done that made you feel any less the Miss America you are and the Miss America you always will be."

Williams graciously accepted the gesture.