Collette in lead role(s) at Showtime

By Kimberly Nordyke

Oct 19, 2007, ET

Toni Collette has landed the title role in Showtime's comedy pilot "The United States of Tara," a single-camera comedy from Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television.

Collette will play Tara, a wife and mother who has multiple-personality syndrome. The project will show Tara in all her personalities, including an aggressive male biker, a promiscuous teenage girl and a Martha Stewart-like homemaker.

"When you're casting a show that requires an actress to not only play one complex character, but in this case several, the road begins and ends with Toni Collette," Showtime Networks president of entertainment Robert Greenblatt said. "All of us at Showtime and DreamWorks are thrilled to have one of the best young actresses of her generation come aboard this project."

The pilot is set to shoot in 2008. Diablo Cody ("Juno") is writing and producing, with DreamWorks TV's Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank serving as executive producers.

Collette was nominated for an Oscar for her role in "The Sixth Sense" and earned Golden Globe noms for "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Muriel's Wedding." She also received Golden Globe and Emmy noms for the miniseries "Tsunami: The Aftermath."

Her recent and upcoming film credits include "Evening," "Nothing Is Private" and "Hey! Hey! It's Esther Blueburger."

Collette is repped by Endeavor, Shanahan Management in Sydney and attorney Debrahcq Klein.

Collette in lead role(s) at Showtime

By Kimberly Nordyke

Oct 19, 2007, ET