Aug 30, 2013 11:46 AM EDT
Lisa Kudrow 'Scandal': 'Friends' Actress Set To Play Politician for Season 3

"Scandal" is adding a "Friend"-ly face.

"Friends" alumna Lisa Kudrow is joining the drama series' upcoming third season, ABC confirmed via Twitter on Wednesday.

Kudrow has been cast as a powerful politician rumored to be named Shelley Meyers, according to Deadline. No other details were revealed. Deadline reported Kudrow's guest appearance will mark the actress' first return to network TV since that little-known comedy "Friends" went off the air in 2004.

The 50-year-old actress recently revealed on "The Conan Show" that she fell for a friends reunion hoax, when a poster appeared to show that a reunion with Jennifer Aniston and co. was happening. 

"Okay, first of all. The graphic for this one thing was unbelievable," said Kudrow, who is best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay. "It looked really real. And then they were posting this article and the headline was like, 'NBC Confirms 5 out of 6 of the Friends Are In,' and I went, 'Oh my God. They didn't ask me.'"

Kudrow's recent small screen work includes the criminally short-lived HBO comedy "The Comeback," and she can now be seen in her improv series "Web Therapy" on Showtime.

Kudrow, produces Showtime comedy "Web Therapy" and TLC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" with "Scandal" star Dan Bucatinsky. Bucatinsky, who received an Emmy nomination for his recurring role as Cyrus' (Jeff Perry) husband, is also Kudrow's long-time producing partner. He revealed to NBC about the "heart-pounding" new season.

"Scandal is going to start the season just moments after we left Olivia Pope last season, moments after the car door opens," Bucatinsky said. "We were all very excited to see that. We're excited to get to the excitement of understanding the relationship between Olivia and her dad. [We can't wait to find out] who leaked the information that Olivia was the mistress of the president and putting out that fire and all of the crazy. To me, it feels like a crack in the boat. And that there's more and more cracks in the boat."

In other "Scandal" news, Scott Foley, who plays Captian Jake Ballard, was recently promoted to series regular for season three of the political drama. 

According to the Hollywood Reporter, actor Tony Goldwyn, who plays President Fitzgerald Grant, promised viewers will learn more about Fitz's mysterious past with Jake (Foley). There have been reports of fan seeing President Grant's re-election. 

"There's a lot of dark tunnels we're gonna be going down, I suspect, that dig up more details about Fitz and Jake," he teased.

"Scandal" stars Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, a crisis-management consultant dedicated to protecting the public images of those in high office.

The show returns Thursday, Oct. 3 on ABC.

Click here to check out a sneak peek of season 3.

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