Anna Paquin to star in CBC mystery drama Bellevue

Oscar-winning actress Anna Paquin, best known for True Blood and the X-Men films, will star in the new CBC-TV mystery drama Bellevue.

The Canadian-born, New Zealand-raised actress will play the central role in the upcoming drama about a police detective conducting an investigation in her small, blue-collar hometown. 

When a transgender teen goes missing, foul play is suspected in the disappearance and Paquin's character Annie Reader finds herself at odds "with people she has known all her life," according to a description from CBC.

Irish actor Allen Leech (Downton Abbey, The Imitation Game) will co-star as Paquin's on-again, off-again love interest with Canadian Shawn Doyle (House of Cards, Fargo, The Eleventh Hour) playing the role of her police chief.

"Bellevue is a bold addition to CBC's drama slate," said Sally Catto, general manager, programming, CBC Television. "This series is a prime example of the distinct, premium storytelling we strive to deliver our audiences, anchored by extraordinary talent both behind and on the screen."

At the tender age of 11, Paquin shot to fame for her role as the daughter of Holly Hunter's character in The Piano. She became the second-youngest ever supporting actress Oscar-winner with her performance.

In 2009, she won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama for her starring role in the hit series True Blood. 

A regular of the X-Men film franchise, she's also appeared in projects such as the recent Roots remake and the TV film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Earlier this month, she joined Sarah Polley's in-production CBC-Netflix miniseries Alias Grace.

Bellevue begins shooting in and around Montreal in September, with the series, co-produced by Muse Entertainment and Back Alley Film Productions, slated to air in winter 2017.