Maria Bello joins 'NCIS' for Season 15

July 28 (UPI) -- Lights Out and Goliath alum Maria Bello has joined the cast of NCIS as a series regular.

Season 15 of the military procedural is to begin on Sept. 26. It stars Mark Harmon, Sean Murray, Emily Wickersham, Pauley Perrette, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Duane Henry, Rocky Carroll and David McCallum.

Bello's NCIS agent -- who was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the army and served two tours in Afghanistan before becoming a top forensic psychologist -- will be introduced in the upcoming season's fourth episode.

"We have always been big fans of Maria Bello's work and are excited to be introducing her as an agent who not only has a distinct talent, but also a unique relationship with Gibbs," NCIS executive producers George Schenck and Frank Cardea said in a joint statement Thursday.

Bello's other credits include The Jane Austen Book Club, The Cooler, A History of Violence and Grown-Ups.