Sissy Spacek joins John Wells at CBS

Oscar winner Sissy Spacek is taking on her first starring role in a TV series, joining a medical drama pilot at CBS.

Spacek, ("Coal Miner's Daughter," "In the Bedroom") will play a lead role in the series, which is about a team of doctors and nurses that travels to places where medical attention is desperately needed. She will play the team's founder, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Her character will have cancer, which complicates her mission somewhat, and has a daughter (Rachelle Lefevre, "Twilight") who works for the team, the HR notes. The show's cast also includes Skeet Ulrich ("Jericho"), Amy Smart, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Beach and Jay Hernandez.

Hannah Shakespeare ("Ghost Whisperer") wrote the pilot. John Wells ("ER," "The West Wing") is executive producing.

Spacek had a recurring part on "Big Love" this season and has worked with CBS a couple times in the past, starring in the 2007 movie "Pictures of Hollis Woods" and the 1995 miniseries "Streets of Laredo."

She won her Oscar in 1981 for "Coal Miner's Daughter" and has been nominated five other times. She's also earned two Emmy nominations in her career.

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