One of America’s most famous actresses is joining the cast of an Emmy-winning television series.

"Shirley MacLaine will join the cast of ‘Downton Abbey’ for its third season, which is set to premiere on ITV in the U.K. this fall and will air on PBS’ ‘Masterpiece Classic’ early next year," reports The Daily Beast.

Adds our good freind Michael Ausiello at TV/Line, "Maggie Smith’s acid-tongued Countess will no doubt have something delightfully bitchy to say about this: …MacLaine [will play] the mother of Elizabeth McGovern’s American-born Lady Grantham."

Ausiello’s story adds, " ‘My late grandfather directed Shirley MacLaine in ‘Gambit’ in 1966,’ said executive producer Gareth Neame in a statement, ‘so it is a delight for me that she will be joining us on ‘Downton Abbey.’ ”