Actress Jessica Biel, who distanced herself from TV after making a name for herself in the long-running family drama series “7th Heaven,” has booked her return to the small screen.

Variety reports that Biel will make a guest appearance on the season premiere of Fox’s “New Girl,” playing a rival to lead Zooey Deschanel. Biel’s character is Kat, described as “the hottest scientist in the world,” and the plot involves Kat and Deschanel’s Jess being interested in the same guy.

Biel has gone on to an active career in feature films, including early work in “Ulee’s Gold,” “The Rules of Attraction” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” with more recent appearances in “The A-Team,” “Total Recall” and “Hitchcock.”

Production on the fourth season of “New Girl” is set to begin Aug. 4.

Jessica Biel