Linney 'to star in Showtime pilot'

Laura Linney has reportedly signed on to star in a pilot for Showtime.

The 45-year-old actress is to feature in the tentatively titled The C Word, in which she'll portray a wife and mother diagnosed with cancer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The series will be a dark comedy and written by its creator Darlene Hunt.

"Cancer is not usually the subject of half-hour comedy, but Laura saw what we did in this complex show: a woman who gets a wake-up call that causes her to shake up her life and family," Showtime entertainment president Robert Greenblatt said.

"She will no doubt make this character both heartbreaking and disarmingly funny."

Linney will also serve as the programme's executive producer. She most recently starred on the HBO miniseries John Adams, for which she won an Emmy.