Hollywood newcomer Gabourey Sidibe has been cast alongside Laura Linney in the new Showtime drama The Big C, the network announced at their Television Critics Association Event in Pasadena Sunday.

The actress, 26, will guest-star as a sassy student named Andrea in the show that stars Linney as a high school teacher who discovers that she has cancer. In clips shown at the event, Gabourey makes sarcastic comments in class and is caught lighting up a cigarette. Showtime has ordered 13 episodes of the series, which will debut this fall.

Gabby is looking forward to next weekend’s Golden Globe Awards, where she’s nominated for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in the box office hit Precious.