'Friends' star also producing pilot

LOS ANGELES -- For her first TV role since "Friends" went off the air in 2004, Courteney Cox is digging up some "Dirt" for FX.

We're guessing the casting process might not have been as grueling as most: Cox, in addition to being an instantly recognizable actress, is also one of "Dirt's" executive producers.

"From the start, as an executive producer on 'Dirt,' Courteney has shown tremendous passion for this project," says Nick Grad, head of original programming at FX. "We are absolutely thrilled that Courteney has chosen 'Dirt' for her return to series television."

In the pilot, scheduled to shoot in March, Cox will play Lucy Spiller, editor-in-chief of two widely read celebrity magazines. The show will also focus on a "schizophrenic paparazzo" who works for her and an actor trying to get himself noticed.

Matthew Carnahan ("Fastlane," "Thieves") wrote the pilot and will direct it as well. He and Cox are serving as exec producers along with Cox's husband, David Arquette.

Cox has produced several TV shows, including the WE series "Mix It Up" and TBS' "Daisy Does America," in recent years, but "Dirt" will be her first acting role for the small screen since "Friends" ended. She has several feature films in the pipeline, including "Alpha Dog," which debuted at Sundance in January, and the superhero-family comedy "Zoom," scheduled for a summer release.