Eliza Dushku

Dushku aids Fox’s ’Nurses’

Cox, Valletta on board CBS pilots

Eliza Dushku has been tapped to star in Fox’s one-hour pilot "Nurses," Nikki Cox is set to star in CBS’ comedy pilot "Fugly," and Amber Valletta will star in CBS’ drama pilot "Twilight."

Additionally, Joshua Malina and Nia Long have landed lead roles on ABC’s untitled Jon Feldman drama pilot, Autumn Reeser and David Walton have joined CW’s untitled Tom Wheeler pilot, and Beverly D’Angelo has been added to CBS’ drama pilot "Skip Tracer."

  "Nurses," from 20th TV, is a comedic drama about the lives and loves of a team of nurses. Dushku will play the lead, a young woman just out of nursing school who joins the hospital run by her father. Dushku replaces Katheryn Winnick, who originally was cast in the role; the part was recast after the character was taken in a different, more comedic direction. Also cast in the pilot is Jaclyn DeSantis (Paradigm), who will play an experienced nurse going through a bitter divorce.

The project reunites Dushku with Fox and 20th TV following her starring role on "Tru Calling." The "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" alumna will next be seen in the feature "Nobel Son." She is repped by the Gersh Agency.

  "Fugly," from 20th TV, revolves around three siblings — identical twin sisters (Cox, Marissa Jaret Winokur) and a brother — who buy one of the sisters (Cox) an extreme makeover and move to Hollywood to capitalize on her newfound good looks. For the past four seasons, Cox (Paradigm) co-starred on NBC’s "Las Vegas."

  "Twilight," from WBTV and Silver Pictures, centers on a PI (Alex O’Laughlin) who is a vampire. Valletta will play his timeless love, a vampire who made him immortal after biting him on their wedding night. Valletta (ICM, Artistry), whose feature credits include "Hitch" and "Raising Helen," will next be seen in "Premonition."

  The untitled Jon Feldman project, from WBTV, centers on four high-powered CEOs and CEOs-to-be (Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Christopher Titus, Malina) who are friends and members of the same golf club. Malina (IFA, Insight Entertainment) will play the CEO of a large pharmaceutical company who is sweet but insecure. Malina’s series credits include "The West Wing" and "Sports Night." Long (Paradigm) will play Vartan’s character "work wife." She recently did a multiepisode arc on "Boston Legal" and will next be seen in the feature "Premonition."

  The untitled Tom Wheeler project, from WBTV and Class IV Prods., centers on a brilliant graduate student (Ryan Devlin) and his friends, who use their skills to solve crimes. Reeser will play the Devlin character’s down-to-earth girlfriend, a paralegal and the daughter of an FBI agent. Reeser (APA, Kritzer, Levine, Wilkins Entertainment) recently co-starred on "The O.C." Walton (Phoenix Artists, Anonymous Content) will play a chemistry student, the class’ stud.

  "Tracer," from CBS Par TV, centers on a skip tracer (Stephen Dorff), a guy who finds people who have tried to disappear. D’Angelo will play his mom, who is in prison for the murder of her husband.

In other pilot news, ABC’s drama "Life on Mars" has been rolled because of difficulties casting the lead. The David E. Kelley Prods./20th TV drama is now being targeted for midseason.