Justin Timberlake is the latest star to join the cast of the new Mike Myers' comedy The Love Guru in which he essays his first original character since Austin Powers. The Paramount Pictures production is co-financed by Spyglass Entertainment and will be distributed by Paramount worldwide.

Timberlake who was part of the voice ensemble led by Myers in the blockbuster summer hit Shrek the Third will play Jacques Grande, a professional hockey player in The Love Guru, alongside the previously announced Jessica Alba, Romany Malco and Verne Troyer.

Recently, in addition to recording a multi-platinum album "FutureSex/LoveSounds," which produced four consecutive #1 singles, and launching a highly lauded "FutureSex/LoveShow," the winner of multiple Grammy Awards appeared in three other films in 2007. Earlier this year, he earned rave reviews for Universal's crime drama "Alpha Dog" co-starring Emile Hirsh, Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone. He also starred in Paramount Vantage's Black Snake Moan, Craig Brewer's follow-up to his Sundance hit Hustle and Flow, alongside Christina Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson. The film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and opened in late February. Later in the year, Timberlake will join the ensemble cast of Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Mandy Moore in "Southland Tales" from Richard Kelly, the director of the cult hit Donnie Darko.