Academy Award-nominated actor Albert Brooks has signed on to appear in at least four episodes of Weeds, which returns on Showtime for a fourth season on June 16.  The 60-year-old comedian will be lending his signature neurotic touch as he plays the role of Len, the estranged father-in-law of Mary-Louise Parker's character, Nancy Botwin, according to a network rep.

This will be the first live-action, small-screen character role for Brooks since his 1970s era appearances on shows like The New Dick Van Dyke Show and Love, American Style.  His non-talk show or Saturday Night Live TV appearances over the past 15 years have been limited to some sporadic voice-over work on The Simpsons. 

Most recently, Brooks directed and starred in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World in which he played a comedian named Albert Brooks, who is sent by the U.S. government to India and Pakistan to find out what makes the locals laugh.  He was also credited for lending his voice to Russ Cargill, the evil head of the Environmental Protection Agency who intends to destroy Springfield after Homer Simpson pollutes the lake, on The Simpsons Movie.

Meanwhile, Brooks' guest appearance isn't the only thing to look forward to when Weeds returns for a fourth season, which follows on the heels of the season 3 finale and stirs up some big changes for the show.

According to Showtime, Nancy and company are bound to “relocate to the fictional beach town of Ren Mar on the San Diego/Mexico border to set up shop with a new front biz that's… pregnant with possibilities.”  This season, Nancy will immerse herself deeper into the shadier side of the business with the aid of her old friends and new partner Guillermo. 

Moreover, the network also reveals that as Nancy moves in to the new locale, she'll have a whole new look, new friends and even a new love interest, and that "the patented Weeds dark humor that the country and critics have grown to love over the past three seasons stays true to form."

Weeds also stars Alexander Gould as Shane Botwin, Allie Grant as Isabelle Hodes, Andy Milder as Dean Hodes, Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hode, Hunter Parrish as Silas Botwin, Justin Kirk as Andy Botwin, Kevin Nealon as Doug Wilson, Romany Malco as Conrad Shepard, and Tonye Patano as Heylia James.

Also Read:
Weeds: Season 4 Premieres on June 16
Weeds: Big Changes for Season 4
'Weeds' Actress Relieved To Be Part of Season 4
'Weeds' Recruits 'Boston Legal' Actress


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Showtime, TV Guide
(Image courtesy of eonline.com)