The O.C.'s "Julie Cooper" Lands a Pilot Opposite LL Cool J

Actress Melinda Clarke whose vampy vixen Julie Cooper manipulated her way through four seasons of FOX's teen drama "The O.C." is the first veteran of the series ending its run Thursday night (Saturday in Canada) to sign a pilot deal.

Almost four million O.C. fans who have stuck with the Newport-set drama through its final days have been very sad that the series was making an early exit, but that has been a blessing in disguise for the actors who became available for the pilot season in Hollywood and may therefore be seen in new TV projects set to premiere next fall.

Clarke who is the first "O.C." veteran to secure a pilot deal may be seen next fall in the CBS drama "The Man", providing the pilot gets picked up by the network for next season's schedule.

According to Hollywood trade press, the actress will play a sexy policewoman, a colleague to LL Cool J's undercover cop, who becomes a father to an orphaned boy. Jessica Collins ("The Nine") was previously cast.

In addition to her regular work on "The O.C." Melinda Clarke has also been recently seen on HBO's "Entourage". Prior to becoming Mrs. Cooper, Melinda was best known for her role of Lady Heather on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

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