Angela Bassett, Julian McMahon to Star in Fox CIA Drama Pilot

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Angela Bassett and Julian McMahon

Former Alias star Angela Bassett is directing the CIA again, only this time she'll be working with Julian McMahon. 

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Bassett and McMahon are in final negotiations to star in Fox's untitled teen spy drama from Bones' Karyn Usher, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

In the 20th Television drama, which revolves around Jane Forsythe, the orphaned 14-year-old daughter of a CIA operative who encounters a mysterious rogue agent/assassin who ultimately serves as both her surrogate father and professional mentor in the spy world. 

Bassett would play Alice Vargas, the director of the CIA, while McMahon would play Kevin Lear, the longtime CIA operative who takes newcomer newcomer Saxon Sharbino's Jane under his wing.

For Bassett, whose last series credits included a season-long arc on NBC's ER in 2008-09, the casting marks her second time playing CIA boss, following her four-episode arc on the Jennifer Garner drama in 2005. She's repped by Gersh, Lighthouse Entertainment and Fox Rothschild.

McMahon, meanwhile, is best known for his starring turn as Dr. Christian Troy on FX's Nip/Tuck and as Dr. Doom in Fantastic Four and its subsequent sequel. The project, should it be ordered to series, would mark his first small-screen role since the plastic surgery drama ended its run in 2010. He's repped by WME, ROAR and Bloom Hergott.

From 20th Television, Usher will write and exec produce the project alongside 20 Laps/Adelstein Productions' Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements and Shawn Levy. Brett Ratner will also serve as a writer, director and EP on the drama pilot.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit