AceShowbiz -

Transgender actress and activist Jen Richards is coming to "Nashville". The country music drama has cast the co-writer/star/producer of digital series "Her Story" in a recurring role for season 5, which will air on CMT.

Richards will play Allyson Del Lago, "a tough but understanding physical therapist who helps a series regular through one of their most difficult challenges." Her casting marks the first transgender character and first out transgender actor on CMT.

Richards recently earned an Emmy nomination for co-creating, writing and producing "Her Story". The founder of website We Happy Trans also starred on the digital series as Violet, a trans woman who must confront her attraction to women when she meets a cute reporter named Allie (Laura Zak) while also worrying that her attraction to women makes her less trans. She appeared as herself on E!'s docuseries "I Am Cait" and will star on CBS' upcoming series "Doubt".

Richards joins Grammy winner Rhiannon Giddens of Carolina Chocolate Drops who has been previously tapped to play a recurring role of Hanna Lee "Hallie" Jordan, a social worker with the "voice of an angel." The show will also feature a new character named Clay, a 20-something African-American musician "destined for great things," in the fifth season.

"Nashville" returns with the new season Thursday, January 5 at 9 P.M. ET/PT on CMT. Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, Sam Palladio, Jonathan Jackson, Clare Bowen, Lennon Stella, Maisy Stella and Chris Carmack return as series regulars, but Will Chase and Aubrey Peeples who played Luke and Layla respectively will not be back for season 5.