KRISTEN BELL IS VERONICA MARS, A SMART, FEARLESS 17-YEAR-OLD APPRENTICE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR OUT TO SOLVE HER BEACH TOWN'S TOUGHEST MYSTERIES WHILE NAVIGATING HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES AND CLIQUES, ON THE SERIES PREMIERE OF "VERONICA MARS," WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22 AT 9:00 PM ON UPN

VERONICA MARS Moves to its Regular Time Period with Guest Star Paris Hilton, Tuesday, September 28 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT)

"Pilot" -- While trying to navigate the everyday drama of high school, the smart, fearless, 17-year-old Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) also moonlights as an apprentice private investigator out to solve her wealthy town of Neptune's toughest mysteries. After coming to the aid of the new kid, sophomore Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III), who's been duct-taped to the school's flagpole, Veronica ends up incurring the wrath of the thugs who put him there, Eli "Weevil" Navarro (Francis Capra) and his P.C.H. Biker Boyz. To get Weevil and his gang off her and Wallace's case, Veronica devises an intricate plan that helps some of Weevil's cronies avoid trouble with the law, on the series premiere of the new drama VERONICA MARS, Wednesday, Sept. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. Mark Piznarski directed the episode from a script written by series creator and executive producer Rob Thomas.

Meanwhile, defying her father, Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni), the disgraced former sheriff turned private eye, Veronica pursues a late-night case of adultery against billionaire Jake Kane, only to make an unsettling discovery about her mother, who abandoned Veronica and Keith a year ago.

The series moves to its regular time period on Tuesday, September 28 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), with an episode guest starring Paris Hilton ("The Simple Life").

In the wealthy, seaside community of Neptune, the rich and powerful make the rules, they own the town and the high school, and desperately try to keep their dirty little secrets just that�secret. Veronica actually used to be one of the popular girls, walking the halls of Neptune High with the rest of the "beautiful people." But it all came crumbling down around her after her best friend Lilly was murdered and her then-sheriff father Keith was removed from office for naming Lilly's billionaire father, Jake Kane, as the lead suspect. After Jake was exonerated, the scandal cost Keith his job, his home and wife, and Veronica was ostracized by her popular friends, including her boyfriend, Duncan Kane (Teddy Dunn), Lilly's brother.

During the day, Veronica must still negotiate high school like any average teenage girl. Along with fellow outcast, sophomore Wallace, she bravely maneuvers her classes, wary of former in-crowd friends, like Duncan and his best friend Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), and edgy outsiders, like Weevil and his P.C.H. Biker Boyz.

At night, Veronica helps with her father's struggling, new private investigator business, sneaking through back alleys and scoping out no-tell motels with a telescopic-lens camera and her math book in an attempt to uncover the California beach town's darkest secrets.

Pushed to the edge of this multicultural, venomous little Peyton Place, Veronica Mars relentlessly continues to search for evidence that will clear her father's name and get her back into the "in-crowd," but what she finds may tear the town of Neptune apart at the seams.

Kristen Bell will soon be seen starring in the television movie "Reefer Madness," based on the hit play in which she also starred in Off Broadway. Most recently, she had a recurring role in the series "Deadwood." Bell�s other television credits include lead roles in the made-for-television movies "Gracie's Choice," opposite Anne Heche and Diane Ladd, and "The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay," with Tim Matheson, Sean Young and Ed Asner; and guest starring roles in "American Dreams," "The Shield" and "Everwood." On film, Bell recently starred as the kidnapped daughter of the president in the David Mamet feature "Spartan," opposite Val Kilmer. On stage, Bell recent appeared in "A Little Night Music" at the Los Angeles Opera. Previously, she starred in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney, the Broadway production of "Tom Sawyer," and played the title role in the world premiere of the musical "Sneaux."

Enrico Colantoni is best known for his lead role on the series "Just Shoot Me," where he played Elliot, the womanizing photographer. His other television appearances include a starring role for two seasons on "Hope & Gloria" and guest starring roles on "NYPD Blue," "New York Undercover" and "Law & Order." In addition to television, Colantoni�s recent film projects include Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal," "Frank McKluskey, C.I." and "The First $20 Million is Always the Hardest." Colantoni can also be seen in hits "Galaxy Quest," Steven Spielberg's "Artificial Intelligence: A.I.," "Stigmata," "Albino Alligator" and "Money Train." Colantoni also received critical praise for his role in the Golden Globe Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated cable television movie "James Dean." Among his theatre credits are "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at New York Central Park's Delacorte Theater, "Arabian Nights" at New York's Manhattan Dinner Club, "The Triumph of Love" at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, "Dracula" in San Diego, and self-produced productions of "Macbeth" and "Chekhov Project 2000" in Los Angeles.

With the help and encouragement of his mother and friends, Percy Daggs III began to pursue acting at age 14. Since then, Daggs has appeared in almost 25 commercials, including spots for Nestle's Crunch, with Shaquille O'Neal, and AT&T, with D.L. Hughley. His television credits include guest starring roles in "The Guardian," "NYPD Blue" and "Boston Public," and co-starring appearances in "Family Law" and "Any Day Now."

Teddy Dunn currently stars as Private Wilson in the feature "The Manchurian Candidate," directed by Jonathan Demme. On television, he guest starred in the series "The Gilmore Girls." Dunn got his start in acting in high school and later attended Northwestern University, where he studied theater and political science.

On television, Jason Dohring will star opposite Randy Quaid in the upcoming made-for-television film "Black Cadillac." He also starred in the television movies "Ready To Run" and "Someone She Knows." His other television credits include recurring roles in "The Division," "Boston Public" and "Once and Again," as well as guest appearances in "Cold Case," "Judging Amy," "JAG," "Roswell," "Picket Fences" and "Baywatch." Dohring recently starred in the independent feature "Walking on Water." He also appeared in the feature films "Deep Impact" and "Broken Record."

Francis Capra starred in the feature films "Pledge of Allegiance," "QIK2JDG," "SLC Punk!," "A Simple Wish," "Kazaam," "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" and "A Bronx Tale." On television, Capra has appeared in the telefilm "44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out," starred in the series "My Guys," and guest starred in "Crossing Jordan," "American Dreams," "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation" and "The O.C."

Sydney Tamiia Poitier was recently seen in a recurring role on "Joan of Arcadia." Most recently, she starred in the comedy "The Devil Cats," which won Best Picture at the 2004 Sonoma Valley Film Festival. Her first film role was in Sterling Macer Jr.�s "Park Day." In 1999, she playing the lead in the made-for-television film "Free of Eden," opposite her father and Phylicia Rashad. In March 1999, she appeared in her first studio film, "True Crime," directed by Clint Eastwood. Poitier later starred opposite John Goodman in Helen Mirren�s directing debut "Happy Birthday." Her television credits include the title role in the UPN comedy "Abby," as well as the drama "First Years." Poitier also starred in the mini-series "Noah�s Ark."

Joel Silver and creator Rob Thomas are executive producers. VERONICA MARS is from Silver Pictures Television in association with and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. Production services provided by Stu Segall Productions, Inc.

Veronica Mars: Kristen Bell
Keith Mars: Enrico Colantoni
Wallace Fennel: Percy Daggs III
Duncan Kane: Teddy Dunn
Logan Echolls: Jason Dohring
Eli "Weevil" Navarro: Francis Capra
Sherriff Lamb: Michael Muhney
Cliff McCormack: Daran Norris
Lianne Mars: Corinne Bohrer
Deputy Sacks: Brandon Hillock
VP Van Clemmons: Duane Daniels
Felix: Brad Bufanda
Hector: Patrick Wolfe
District Attorney: Kirk Fogg
Jake Kane: Kyle Secor
Celeste Kane: Lisa Thornhill
Phuong: Benito Paje
Lilly Kane: Amanda Seyfried
Clown: Randy Seidman
Mrs. White: Ruth Stehle
Teacher #1: Linda Castro
Fireman Bill: Tom McCafferty
Corny: Jonathan Chesner
Boy at Keyboard: Mark Styles
Mouth: Zac Henry
Your Favorite Band Sucks: Elvin Lai
Dance Team Advisor: Nicole Monica
Steve: David E. Taylor
Inga: Seraina Jacqueline
Teacher #2: Jennifer Dove
Cat in the Hat Raver: Amber Ojeda
Band Dork: Chris Wiley
Pep Squadder: Heather Brittany
Pencil-Necked Geek: Joshua Levine
Judge: Annie Hinton
Tony: Scott Barry

RATING: To Be Announced