Bell's guest spot will be seen by audiences come October, NBC announced Aug. 20.

The actress will play "Elle, a sexy, intriguing, mysterious young lady who has ties to Peter's apparent death, H.R.G.'s past, and Claire's future," reads an announcement. "When fans first meet Elle, she will commit a terrible crime, but as always with 'Heroes,' it will be unclear whose side she is really on."

"This was not easy to pull off," said executive producer-creator Tim Kring about Bell's casting. "But since we're an ensemble show, with many arcs playing out through the year, we found a way to jump into a small window in her schedule. I pitched her the idea we have for the character, which she loved, and we're off and running."

Bell recently starred in the title role of the series "Veronica Mars" and will narrate the new TV show "Gossip Girl." On stage, the actress has appeared in the Broadway revival of The Crucible (opposite Liam Neeson and Laura Linney) and in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. She also co-starred in Reefer Madness and reprised her turn for the Showtime TV adaptation. Other credits for the star include "Deadwood," "American Dreams," "The Shield" and "Everwood."

Upcoming projects include the films "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "Fanboys" and (in voice on the animated feature) "Sheepish." Rumors recently pinned the actress as the next possible Elle for Broadway's Legally Blonde. In an interview with TVGuide.com, she responds to her visit to the show: "Well, believe it or not, I wasn't scouting. I adore Laura Bell Bundy, and I went to go see her because she's a dear friend. I would love to go back to Broadway. The circumstances would all have to be right and the stars would have to align. I'm not saying no or yes to anything, because going back to Broadway is definitely a dream that I know I will accomplish in the very near future."

Noting her friendship with producer Kristin Caskey, she leaves the option open noting: "But who knows? I think maybe there's a possibility in the spring."

"Heroes" returns for its second season Sept. 24 and continues Mondays at 9 PM (ET.) Check your local listings). The series is billed as "an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities." The hour long program stars Santiago Cabrera, Masi Oka, Tawny Cypress, Hayden Panettiere, Noah Gray-Cabey, Adrian Pasdar, Greg Grunberg, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Leonard Roberts, Ali Larter and Milo Ventimiglia.

For more information, visit nbc.com/Heroes.