Timothy Olyphant joins FX show's second season

FX's "Damages" has added a second new actor to its cast, signing former "Deadwood" star Timothy Olyphant for season two.

Olyphant will have a season-long arc as a guy who enters Ellen's (Rose Byrne) life and becomes entangled in both her personal and professional struggles. His casting follows that of Oscar winner William Hurt, who'll be playing a new client of Patty Hewes' ( Glenn Close).

"We've been huge fans of Tim's all the way back to his New York theater days," creators Todd and Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman say in a statement. "His magnetic combination of humor, charm and menace make him a perfect fit for our show. We're thrilled to get the chance to write for him."

Production on the show's second season began this week in New York. It's scheduled to premiere in early 2009.

Olyphant played Sheriff Seth Bullock on HBO's "Deadwood" and was the bad guy in last year's "Live Free or Die Hard." His credits also include the films "Hitman," "Catch and Release," "Go" and guest spots on "Samantha Who?" and "My Name Is Earl."