Actress Close 'joins TV cop show'

The new series of The Shield series will be shown early in 2005

Fatal Attraction star Glenn Close is to join hit US TV police drama The Shield, according to reports in Hollywood.

Close will play a police captain in all 13 episodes of the show's forthcoming fourth series, according to trade papers Variety and Hollywood Reporter.

She got five Oscar nominations in the 1980s for films like The Natural, Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons.

The actress will "shake our Shield world upside down", executive producer Shawn Ryan told Variety.

'Undeniable abilities'

Close will play a new police captain in a Los Angeles precinct who instructs Detective Vic Mackey, played by Michael Chiklis, to carry out her controversial policies.

"We wouldn't have been comfortable pursuing this storyline if we hadn't gotten an actress of Glenn's undeniable abilities," Mr Ryan said.

The Shield has won a string of awards, including best TV drama at the Golden Globes and acting awards for Chiklis.

It is shown on the FX cable channel in the US and on Five in the UK.