A star-studded cast has been lined up for My Boy, a film about the life of the late Irish singer Phil Lynott.
Gary Dourdan, who plays police officer Warrick Brown in the hit US series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, will play the role of the singer who died tragically of a drug overdose in 1986. An ex-bass player, Dourdan has been studying Lynott's life for the past few months.
The American actor joins a strong cast that includes Oscar- winning actress Holly Hunter, who will play the rock star's mother Philomena Lynott.
Hunter recently spent time in Ireland to perfect her Irish accent and she will return here next year to begin filming.
She will play the role of Ms Lynott between the ages of 25 and 50.
The younger Ms Lynott will be played by Elaine Cassidy, the Irish actress who appeared in Alejandro Amenabar's The Others alongside Nicole Kidman two years ago.
The film is based on My Boy, the book by Philomena Lynott recounting the trials of a single mother raising a black child in Ireland in the 1960s and 70s.
Under the direction of Irish filmmaker Robert Quinn, My Boy will trace the life of the charismatic star who enjoyed enormous success before developing an addiction to drugs.
Over the past few years, producer Noel Pearson has worked closely with Philomena Lynott on the project.
She has expressed delight at the choice of Holly Hunter to play her character.