The Good Wife: Nathan Lane to Play Lockhart & Gardner's New Cost-Cutter

Nathan Lane is about to put the squeeze on  The Good Wife's Will (Josh Charles) and Diane (Christine Baranski).

The Emmy and Tony winner, 56, has been cast in a recurring role on the acclaimed CBS drama as a bottom line-obsessed manager who is pushed by the bank to cut costs at Lockhart & Gardner and get the firm back into the black.  Surprisingly (not), his job puts him at odds with the firm's top partners, as well as everyone else at L&G. Lockhart & Gardner has struggled financially pretty much since the beginning of the series, but last time someone was brought in to help cut expenses, his suggestions (no more fresh flowers, take clients to soccer games instead of Cubs games) were not so well received.

Kristin Chenoweth joins The Good Wife: Will she expose the Florricks' estranged marriage?

Coincidentally, Lane was first approached to guest-star on the drama back in Season 1 to portray campaign strategist Eli Gold (played by (Alan Cumming, who has received two Emmy nominations for the role). Lane joins an already impressive list of guest stars set to recur in Season 4, including Kristin Chenoweth, Maura Tierney and Marc Warren. Lane will make his debut in the Season 4 premiere.

Lane, best known for his performances in The Birdcage, and in the 2001 Broadway production of The Producers, as well as 2005 film based on the musical.  In recent years, he has guest-starred on 30 Rock and on Modern Family.

The new season of The Good Wife premieres this fall on Sundays at 9/8c on CBS.

Are you excited to see Lane battle Will and Diane?