"ER" will get a shot of adrenaline this fall, in the form of actor John Leguizamo.

The "Land of the Dead" and "Moulin Rouge" star will join the long-running NBC series as a new supervising physician at County General. NBC says he'll appear in 12 episodes this season, with the first scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 20.

Leguizamo will play Dr. Ernesto Clemente, who becomes supervising physician for the ER, bringing with him a bunch of nontraditional ideas on how to run the emergency room. He also introduces "cutting-edge technology" to the hospital.

He's the second new and recognizable face to join "ER" this season. Former "3rd Rock from the Sun" star Kristen Johnston will also have a recurring part as a nurse manager.

Leguizamo won an Emmy in 1999 for the performance of his one-man show "Freak" on HBO. The stage version of the show was also nominated for two Tony Awards. The "ER" role will be his first extended series work since he co-created and starred in FOX's sketch show "House of Buggin'" in 1995. Earlier this year he starred in a CBS pilot that wasn't picked up.

In addition to "Moulin Rouge" and "Land of the Dead," Leguizamo's movie credits include "Summer of Sam," "Ice Age," "Romeo + Juliet" and "Assault on Precinct 13."