The deal was announced today by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, and Marc Hirschfeld, Executive Vice President, Casting.

Said Silverman: "Lauren Graham is a fantastic actress and brilliant comedic voice. She's so respected in the industry and is a huge get for us. She's sure to be one of our next big NBC stars and we couldn't be more thrilled to be working with her."

"I cast Lauren on 'NewsRadio,' '3rd Rock from the Sun' and 'Seinfeld' early on in her career," added Hirschfeld. "I've been pursuing her aggressively for the past several years after her outstanding work on "Gilmore Girls." She truly is a gifted television comedy star and we are thrilled to have her back on NBC."

"I'm thrilled and flattered to be working with NBC. I am impressed by Ben Silverman's taste and vision for the network, and grateful to have had Marc Hirschfeld's support over the years. Also, after having spent so many years representing the frog on The WB, I am especially comforted to be part of the only other network with an animal mascot."

Graham received critical acclaim in her starring role as Lorelai Gilmore, the smart young mother in the series "The Gilmore Girls" from 2000-07, where she was nominated for a Golden Globe and two SAG awards for her performance. She also served as a producer on the series and developed shows with her production banner, Good Game Productions. She recently starred on the big screen in this summer's "Evan Almighty" and stars opposite Greg Kinnear in the upcoming "Flash of Genius" (from Universal) and with Matthew Perry in the independent film "Laws of Motion."

Graham's other feature films include "Bad Santa," "Because I Said So," "The Pacifier," "Seeing Other People," and "One True Thing."