AceShowbiz -

A&E Network's "Bates Motel" is tapping Vera Farmiga to take one of its key roles. The actress/director is slated to join the upcoming series, which will serve as a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film "Psycho", to portray Norma Louise Bates.

The mother of young Norman Bates, Mrs. Bates is "complicated, passionate, and compelling." She is additionally described as "a smart, multidimensional character who is always capable of surprising us."

Executive producer Carlton Cuse says about 39-year-old Farmiga who will tackle the character, "[Farmiga] is a phenomenal talent who has demonstrated incredible range and intelligence in a number of landmark film roles, and we couldn't be more excited to have her join our project."

Aimed for a 2013 premiere, "Bates Motel" is dubbed "a contemporary exploration of the formative years of Norman Bates' relationship with his mother, Norma, and the world they inhabit." Through the show, "viewers will have access to the dark, twisted backstory and learn first-hand how Norman helped forge the most famous serial killer of them all."

Cuse ("Lost") teams up with Kerry Ehrin ("Friday Night Lights") to executive produce the project, which has been picked up to series consisting of 10 episodes by A&E.

Farmiga's latest TV credit was USA Network's "Touching Evil" in which she starred as Detective Susan Branca. She has since appeared in a slew of feature films, including "Up in the Air" which received critical acclaims and "Higher Ground" which marked her directorial debut.