Shaquille O'Neal is heading to the small screen!
The former NBA superstar will guest star on TNT's police drama, "Southland," Shaq announced on Thursday's Access Hollywood Live.
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: ‘Southland’ Set Visit
Shaq will play Officer Earl Dayton, a cop who knows Officer John Cooper (played by Michael Cudlitz) from the police academy. The pair will run into each other at the funeral of a notorious gangster, where Shaq's character will be serving warrants.
PHOTOS: Game On! Sexy Male Athletes
VIEW THE PHOTOS: TV Hunk Ben McKenzie
The episode shoots on Tuesday in Los Angeles and will air on April 3.
The retired NBA star has police connections off-screen as well - he has previously served as a reserve officer with both the Port of Los Angeles police and the Miami Beach police department.
Shaq is the second notable name to appear as a guest star on the drama's third season so far - Chad Michael Murray is currently starring in a guest arc as a cop influencing Officer Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie) in a less-than-positive way.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Game On! Sexy Male Athletes!
WATCH: 'Southland' Set Visit - Access Extended
The basketball star's previous acting credits include big screen roles in "Scary Movie 4," "Freddy Got Fingered," "Kazaam" and "Blue Chips." He also had a cameo on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in 2001.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom: A Match Made in Reality Heaven!
"Southland," which returned last week with the premiere of Season 3, airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on TNT.
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
