NAZNEEN CONTRACTOR TAPPED AS A RECURRING GUEST STAR IN USA NETWORK'S GLOBE-TROTTING ESPIONAGE DRAMA "COVERT AFFAIRS"

Highly Anticipated Fifth Season to Premiere Summer 2014

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - April 14, 2014 - Nazneen Contractor ("Star Trek Into Darkness") has been cast as a recurring guest star in USA Network's globe-trotting hit espionage series, COVERT AFFAIRS, when it returns this summer for its fifth season.

Contractor will star as Sydney. She is drop dead gorgeous and has begun enchanting Annie's (Piper Perabo) fellow CIA officer, Calder Michaels (Hill Harper). Discreet and savvy, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to Calder's new love interest.

A student of the theater, Contractor has graced the stage in the world-renowned Stratford Shakespeare Festival and has appeared in both film and television. Television credits include multiple hit series such as "24," "Revenge," "Rules of Engagement," "Bones," and "Person of Interest." In 2013, Contractor stared as Rima Harewood in the summer blockbuster film, "Star Trek Into Darkness" and next co-stars opposite Frank Langella in the upcoming film, "Parts Per Billion." She is represented by Characters Talent Agency, Greene & Associates, and Vanguard Management.

COVERT AFFAIRS stars Golden Globe(R)-nominated Perabo ("Looper"), Christopher Gorham ("Ugly Betty"), Harper ("CSI: NY"), Kari Matchett ("Invasion"), Peter Gallagher ("The O.C.") and Nic Bishop ("Body of Proof"). Recently announced guest stars this season include Michael A. Goorjian, Perrey Reeves and Amy Jo Johnson.

Season five of the series picks up after CIA operative Annie fakes her death, alters her identity and goes deep undercover in the streets of Hong Kong to defeat her most cunning opponent, Henry Wilcox (guest star Gregory Itzin). The new season will examine the price Annie will have to pay for this risky maneuver and the implications it will have on her relationships - both personally and professionally - as she attempts to re-emerge into the world she once knew.

From Universal Cable Productions, COVERT AFFAIRS was created, written and executive produced by Matt Corman and Chris Ord, and is executive produced by Doug Liman (SUITS, the "Bourne" trilogy, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"), David Bartis (SUITS, "The O.C.") and Gene Klein (SUITS) through Hypnotic. Stephen Kay ("Sons of Anarchy"), Sean Ryerson ("Bait," "Beyond Rangoon"), Stephen Hootstein ("What About Brian") and Henry Alonso Myers ("Ugly Betty," "Chuck") also serve as executive producers. The series shoots in Toronto.

About USA Network

The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented eight straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com.

About Universal Cable Productions

Universal Cable Productions creates innovative and critically acclaimed original scripted and digital content across multiple media platforms and outlets for domestic and international distribution. UCP produces "Covert Affairs," "Playing House," "Psych," "Royal Pains" and "Suits" for USA; "Defiance," and "Warehouse 13" for Syfy and "Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome" for distribution on Machinima Prime/YouTube, Syfy and DVD/Blu-Ray. Universal Cable Productions is a division of NBCUniversal.