Broadway's Nikki M. James to co-star in 'BrainDead'

NEW YORK, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Tony Award-winning actress Nikki M. James has joined the cast of the upcoming comic-thriller BrainDead, CBS announced Thursday.

Set in the world of Washington, D.C. politics, the series was created by Robert and Michelle King, the executive producers of The Good Wife.

James, 34, will play Rochelle, a medical resident whose father died as the result of a mysterious infection. She and Laurel, played by series lead Mary Elizabeth Winstead, team up to learn what happened to her father and protect others from the same fate, a press release said.

Laurel is described as a young Hill staffer who discovers the government has stopped working because alien spawn have come to Earth and eaten the brains of a growing number of Congressmen and political operatives.

"We fell in love with Nikki the first time we saw her in The Book of Mormon," the Kings said in a joint statement. "Her work on The Good Wife has only increased our admiration, and we couldn't be more excited that she's joining the cast of BrainDead."

James was also recently seen in the celebrated Broadway revival of Les Miserables. Her television credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and 30 Rock.