Dakota Fanning is following many other Hollywood stars onto the small screen in a new drama.

The movie star, 22, has signed up for The Alienist, a series based on author Caleb Carr’s best-selling book.

A picture of Dakota Fanning at the Effie Gray premiere
Dakota Fanning (Joel Ryan/Invision/PA)

She will play a police secretary in the 1890s, who helps look into a string of murders in the Big Apple.

Luke Evans and Daniel Bruhl have also been cast in the psychological thriller.

It marks a change for Dakota, who has mainly stuck to the big screen during her career. Her last major TV role was in the Taken mini-series when she was just eight.

The Alienist is expected to air later this year.