Alex Kingston, who starred as River Song in the fourth series of the new Doctor Who in 2008, has taken the role of Dinah Lance, the mother of Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy) and the ex-wife of Detective Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) on the CW’s Arrow TV series.


The name of the character "Dinah Lance" is another reference by the TV show’s producers to the DC Comics universe where "Dinah Drake Lance" was the alter ego of the Golden Age Black Canary.

According to EW.com, Kingston’s role on Arrow will be that of a recurring guest star.  She is the second Doctor Who alum to join the cast. John Barrowman (Capt. Jack Harkness) has a continuing role on Arrow as the sociopathic businessman Malcom Merlyn (aka the “Dark Archer”).

The Arrow TV series airs on the CW network on Wednesday nights at 8pm (ET, PT).