Voight signs on for villainous role on "24"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In his first series role in 40 years, Jon Voight has signed on as a recurring character on the upcoming seventh season of "24."

On the Emmy-winning Fox drama, Voight will play the uber-nemesis of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), who is pulling the strings behind next season's terrorist threat.

The character will be introduced during "24's" two-hour Season 7 prequel and will be featured heavily in the latter half of the season.

The prequel, now shooting on location in South Africa, is slated to air November 23, with Season 7 of the series kicking off in January.

Voight's role marks the first high-profile villain casting on "24" since Season 1, when Dennis Hopper appeared in the final episodes as Serbian nationalist Victor Drazen.

Voight did several TV guest spots early in his career -- including a three-episode stint on "Gunsmoke" in the late '60s -- until his movie career exploded with "Midnight Cowboy" in 1969.

A four-time Academy Award nominee, Voight won the best actor Oscar for 1978's "Coming Home." He recently reprised his role as Nicolas Cage's father in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter