'Family Guy' talent inks deal with 20th TV

Longtime Family Guy talent Alex Borstein is stepping into the spotlight at 20th Century Fox.

The writer and voice of Lois on Fox's animated hit has made a sweeping overall deal with the studio to develop, write and executive produce two pilot scripts in which she might appear. One is an animated project, the other a live-action comedy.

"She's one of the most multitalented people in our business, whether voice-over work, acting, singing," 20th chairman Gary Newman said. "Sometimes we tend to ignore what's in our own backyard, and we've had Alex in our yard for a long time, and she just is very gifted."

Newman said Borstein would work for the sort of off-center, comedian-centered comedy series, such as Roseanne and Seinfeld, that broadcasters used to excel at creating.

"She really has a persona and attitude that comes through and is funny and edgy and a little dark, and we really believe she could be the center of a show," Newman said.

The studio has made a talent holding deal that would allow for other writers to develop projects for Borstein and for the studio to cast her into an existing project.

Borstein has working with Fox and its studio since Mad TV, on which she created characters like Miss Swan. She's also a consulting producer on the upcoming Showtime series Shameless.