Charice joins cast of new Hollywood film

MANILA, Philippines – It’s confirmed: Filipino international pop singer Charice is in the cast of a new movie, the action-comedy “Here Comes the Boom!” starring Salma Hayek, Kevin James and Henry Winkler, among others.

“Yes, you can check the online link,” said Grace Mendoza, Charice’s Philippine manager, when the Philippine Daily Inquirer called her office this Wednesday morning.

According to the website IMDb.com (Internet Movie Database), the movie – about a music teacher who is forced to moonlight as a mixed martial arts fighter in the hopes of saving his school’s music program – is currently in production and scheduled for release in July 2012.

This marks the first time that the 18-year-old Charice will play a character, Malia.

In her debut appearance in a Hollywood film, the 2009 live-action cartoon adaptation “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” Charice played herself in a cameo role.

“Here Comes the Boom!” is directed by Frank Coraci, whose recent credits include “The Wedding Singer,” “The Waterboy,” “Around the World in 80 Days” and “Click.”

The Mexico-born Hayek has starred in a number of films including “Desperado,” “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “Frida” – for which she received an Oscar best actress nomination.

James had a recurring role in the TV sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond.” He has since acted in his own sitcom, “The King of Queens.”

Winkler, most famous for his role as The Fonz in the hit 1970s TV show “Happy Days,” was also in the cast of “The Waterboy,” among other movie credits.