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Merrin Dungey has a new role on her resume. The former King of Queens<\/em> star has joined the cast of the still-untitled Buffy the Vampire Slayer<\/em> reboot, Deadline<\/em> announced<\/a>. Dungey, 54, will play Ms. LaDuca, the college counselor at New Sunnydale Academy, in the pilot for the Hulu reboot.<\/p>\n The outlet noted that Dungey, Audrey Hsieh, and Audrey Grace Marshall will all be guest stars in the pilot but will have recurring roles if the show is greenlit as a series. Ryan Kiera Armstrong will star as the new slayer, Nova, in the show, with original star Sarah Michelle Gellar co-starring and executive producing the project.<\/p>\n On Aug. 12, Dungey posted a teaser to Instagram<\/a>, telling fans, \u201cThe news is out!! I\u2019m so excited to be a part of the Buffy-verse!!\u201d<\/p>\n The original Buffy <\/em>series aired on the WB from 1997 to mid-2001, then resumed on UPN until 2003. During that time, Dungey had a recurring role in the CBS sitcom The King of Queens<\/em> as Kelly Palmer, the wife of Doug Heffernan\u2019s (Kevin James) best friend Deacon (Victor Williams).<\/p>\n In 2001, Dungey\u2018s role on The King of Queens<\/em> was scaled back when she landed a main role on the ABC spy thriller Alias<\/em>. In the Season 4 King of Queens<\/em> episode “Double Downer,” her character, Kelly, left Deacon. The sitcom featured an ongoing storyline about the couple\u2019s divorce until Alias<\/em> wrapped. Dungey returned to The King of Queens<\/em> in Season 6 and appeared in 40 episodes total.<\/p>\n She later had recurring roles on Malcom in the Middle, Summerland, The Resident, <\/em>and The Fix <\/em>before joining Shining Vale<\/em> as series regular, Kam, in 2022.<\/p>\n Dungey previously talked about getting \u201cjuicier\u201d parts after years of playing friends and wives. \u201cI\u2019ve played my share of goodie-goodies and best friends and wives as well,\u201d she said in a 2018 interview with Assignment X<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> \u201c<\/em>But when you get something to play, when you just get something delicious to chew on, it\u2019s much more exciting.”<\/p>\nMerrin Dungey Left \u2018The King of Queens\u2019 to Join \u2018Alias\u2019<\/h2>\n