AMC’s untitled The Walking Dead companion series has finally found its lead in Gone Girl star Kim Dickens. According to E! News, Dickens will portray a guidance counselor forced to battle zombies during the undead apocalypse.

The 49-year-old actress reportedly underwent an extensive casting process and had to beat out a number of actresses to earn the leading spot on the upcoming zombie series. Television fans will recognize her for her recent recurring role on Sons of Anarchy, and her roles on Friday Night Lights, Deadwood and Lost. Cliff Curtis, who will portray a divorced teacher in the spinoff, will reportedly be the love interest of Dickens’ guidance counselor character. The series will also star Frank Dillane and Alycia Debnam Carey, who will play Dickens’ two children from a previous relationship.

Outside of announcing that filming for the pilot will begin in early 2015 and that it will pick up right at the start of the apocalypse first seen in The Walking Dead, AMC has kept details for the untitled spinoff quiet since it was announced in September. However, the network has confirmed that Robert Kirkman, the co-creator of The Walking Dead comic book series and executive producer on the hit series, will serve as the pilot’s executive producer.

“There are many corners of The Walking Dead universe that remain unseen in the shadows. Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill. I know the fans are anxious to hear what Dave and I have been cooking up for this new universe of The Walking Dead, and I’m happy to be one step closer to sharing it with them,” stated Kirkman.

Dave Erickson, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert will also act as executive producers, and Erickson will serve as showrunner if the pilot makes it to series.