S.H.I.E.L.D. Pilot Recruits ER Alum Ming-Na

Ming-Na is joining the cast of Joss Whedon’s ABC pilot Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D.

She’ll play Agent Melinda May, an ace flier and weapons expert, our sister site Deadline reports.

The character — a kinda damaged, but immensely soulful former soldier — sounds like a modified version of the Agent Althea Rice role we first learned about earlier in October.

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The forthcoming pilot is based on a peacekeeping group that appeared in various Marvel comics and in the summer blockbuster film The Avengers, which Whedon wrote and directed. The title’s acronym refers to a secret peacekeeping organization called  Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.

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In addition to playing ER‘s Jing-Mei ‘Deb’ Chen off and on for a decade, Ming-Na’s TV credits include Vanished, Two and a Half Men, SGU Stargate Universe and Eureka.

What do you think of the casting? Sound off in the comments!