LOS ANGELES (August 27, 2009)--Laura Linney is taking on an offbeat role in a Showtime comedy pilot; a woman who is diagnosed with cancer.

Showtime said Thursday that Linney will star in and serve as executive producer for the half-hour show, "The C Word."

The pilot episode will be shot this fall.

The cable channel says the series will delve into the life of a suburban wife and mother as she confronts her illness and finds the light side in a dark situation.

In a statement, the Emmy Award-winning Linney said she's excited to tackle such "potentially rich, funny and complicated material."