Milano and Rapaport to Meet "Earl"

Alyssa Milano ("Charmed") and Michael Rapaport ("The War at Home") will guest-star on NBC's comedy "My Name Is Earl" (Thursdays, 8-8:30 p.m. ET) in multi-episode arcs scheduled to air in early October.

In the series, Milano will portray Billie Cunningham, whom Earl (Jason Lee) first meets when she comes to visit her boyfriend -- fellow inmate Frank (guest-star, Michael Rapaport). Billie would be living as a productive member of society if Frank hadn't introduced her to an exciting life of crime. But meeting Earl inspires Billie to trade in the rush of thieving for the rush of redemption -- and their parallel lives become more and more intertwined.

Said Greg Garcia, the series' creator and executive producer: "We have two very strong actresses on the show, so when we were going to bring in a third for a few episodes, we knew we had to get someone with some real presence. Alyssa is a popular TV star and we're delighted to have her join us for what will be a great storyline."

Added Garcia: "I've also been a fan of Michael Rapaport for a very long time and recently had the pleasure of working with him this past spring on a pilot for CBS. I've always wanted him to come do a guest spot on 'Earl,' and now that he had the time, we found the ideal role for him. He fits perfectly into our world and we're very excited to have him joining us."