‘Clueless’ star Stacey Dash joins Fox News as contributor

Actress Stacey Dash has joined Fox News as a contributor, the network announced Thursday.

“Stacey is an engaging conversationalist whose distinctive viewpoints amongst her Hollywood peers have spawned national debates,” said Bill Shine, executive vice president of programming, in a statement. “We’re pleased to have her join Fox News.”

Dash is best known for her work in the 1995 film “Clueless,” in which she played Dionne Davenport, best friend to Alicia Silverstone’s Cher Horowitz. More recently, she starred for one season in the VH1 series “Single Ladies” and also showed up as herself in the Bravo reality series “Million Dollar Decorators.”

In 2012, the actress made news when she endorsed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Twitter, prompting a backlash from some Obama supporters online. In an appearance on “Piers Morgan Tonight” to discuss the reaction, Dash, who is of Barbadian and Mexican heritage, said she had chosen Romney “not by the color of his skin but the content of his character.”

She later received a phone call of support from Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan. After the GOP ticket’s electoral loss, Dash issued a lengthy statement that was published by TMZ.

Since the election, Dash has remained outspoken on political issues, criticizing Jay Z and Beyonce for a trip to Cuba last year.

“Do you care that The Jay-Z’s have taken the capital you have given them and funded a communist oppressive regime?” Dash tweeted. Via social media, she has also defended celebrity chef Paula Deen amid racism charges and criticized Oprah Winfrey for comparing Trayvon Martin to Emmett Till.

According to Fox News, Dash will offer “cultural analysis and commentary” in both daytime and prime time. She recently appeared as a panelist on the network’s new daytime show “Outnumbered.”