Alyssa Milano set to charm "Earl"

I absolutely adore child actors who manage to find their way in the business as adults. You already know that I adore Drew Barrymore. I'm also rather fond of Patty Duke and Melissa Gilbert. They're women who managed to grow up in the Hollywood spotlight and come out alive and successful on the other side. Not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, some of them made the transition more gracefully than others, but they all managed it. Another woman who has managed such a transition is Alyssa Milano.

She amused us as Samantha Micelli, tomboyish daughter to Tony Danza in Who's The Boss; played Long Island Lolita Amy Fisher in one of the multiple TV movies made about the story; followed in Drew Barrymore's footsteps in Poison Ivy II; took up residence at Melrose Place; and Charmed us all as Phoebe Halliwell.

Along the way, she's gone short, medium, and long in pursuit of the perfect do.

Personally, I like it short, but I digress.

Not only does she have a new movie called Pathology set for release in November (that film also boasts a certain "soup chef"), but she's also got her own baseball blog and has designed a line of MLB clothing for the female fan.

Now add this news: She's about to charm Jason Lee in the hit comedy series My Name Is Earl. Milano has inked for 3 episodes, but rumor has it they want her for at least eight. Apparently, she plays the girlfriend of a guy Earl meets while in the clink. When a stop is put to her conjugal visit with the boyfriend, he sends Earl over to give her the bad news. Wonder what kind of bad karma Earl will have to deal with when he steals her away from his jailhouse friend?