'West Wing' star heads movie's cast

Former "West Wing" star Rob Lowe, who enjoyed success with TNT two years ago in "Salem's Lot," is going back to work for the cable network.

Lowe has signed on to star in "A Perfect Day," an adaptation of Richard Paul Evans' best-selling novel that will air in December. The movie will be part of TNT's "Johnson & Johnson Spotlight Presentation," which includes such titles as "The Wool Cap" and the Emmy-winning "Door to Door."

"After having worked with Rob Lowe on previous TNT productions, we are thrilled to have him in the lead role for 'A Perfect Day,'" says Michael Wright, head of original programming at TNT. "We couldn't hope for a better actor to bring to the screen this heartwarming drama about one man's journey through self-discovery."

Lowe will play Richard Harlan, who writes a novel after getting fired from his job and sees his work become a raging success. His sudden fame, however, makes him lose perspective on the things that really matter to him.

Veteran director Peter Levin ("Homeless to Harvard"), who worked with Lowe on the NBC series "The Lyon's Den," will direct "A Perfect Day." Joyce Eliason ("The Last Don," "Gracie's Choice") is writing the script.

Lowe played White House staffer Sam Seaborn for the first four seasons of "The West Wing," a role that earned him an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nods. Other recent credits include the short-lived CBS show "Dr. Vegas," "Thank You for Smoking" and the Lifetime miniseries "Beach Girls."