Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman has joined the second season of the Showtime drama “Masters of Sex,” Variety has learned.

The period drama created by Michelle Ashford stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as famed sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Although character details were not available, Showtime has said that Silverman will play the character of Helen in a recurring guest star role.

Silverman, who received a lead actress Emmy nomination for her Comedy Central show “The Sarah Silverman Program,” appears in Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming feature “A Million Ways to Die in the West.” She is repped by CAA, Thruline Entertainment and PMK-BNC. Offscreen, she has been romantically linked to Sheen.

The first season of “Masters of Sex” received Golden Globe and WGA nominations and was named one of AFI’s top TV programs of the year. Production on the second season is currently under way in Los Angeles. It also stars Caitlin Fitzgerald, Teddy Sears and Annaleigh Ashford.