Tony nominee Oliver Platt, Obie winner John Benjamin Hickey and Academy Award nominee Gabourey Sidibe also star in the series. Additional cast members include Phyllis Somerville, Gabriel Basso and Reid Scott. The pilot is directed by Academy Award nominee Bill Condon and written by Darlene Hunt.

The dark comedy casts Linney as Cathy Jameson, a Minneapolis teacher, wife and mother who is used to taking care of everyone else but decides to live for herself when she finds out she has terminal cancer. According to Showtime's website, "While she decides whether to tell anyone about her diagnosis, Cathy declares is it now her turn to act up, confronting her immature husband [Platt], spoiled son [Basso] and her selectively homeless and wildly outspoken brother [Hickey]. She begins to form unusual bonds with unexpected people, including her grouchy neighbor Marlene [Somerville] and her saucy student Andrea [Sidibe]."

Linney was Tony-nominated for Times Stands Still, Sight Unseen and The Crucible. Time Stands Still, which premiered this past spring and went on hiatus to accommodate the production schedule of "The Big C," will re-open at the Cort Theatre this fall. Linney holds three Emmys for her work in "John Adams," "Frasier" and "Wild Iris," and three Oscar nods for "The Savages," "Kinsey" and "You Can Count on Me."

Platt was Tony-nominated for Shining City and recently appeared in Guys and Dolls and the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night. He starred in the Showtime series "Huff." Hickey won an Obie for Love! Valour! Compassion! and also appeared in Mary Stuart and Cabaret. Sidibe received an Oscar nomination for "Precious."

Cynthia Nixon and Liam Neeson will appear in recurring guest roles in the series' first season.

"The Big C" will air new episodes Mondays at 10:30 PM ET on Showtime.