South Korean star Song Hye-kyo is joining the cast of director Chen Kaige's upcoming historical film Zhao's Orphan, the Zhejiang-based Youth Times reports.

Other big names such as box office star Ge You and newly crowned best actor Wang Xueqi also have roles in the film.

Song is supposed to have a supporting role in the male-dominated film that features 12 male roles, the report said.

She is portraying the biological mother of Zhao's orphan. She will perform opposite Ge You's lead role of Cheng Ying, a rural doctor who sacrifices his own son to save the newborn baby of Zhao Dun, the chancellor of the Jin Kingdom (679 B.C. -403 B.C.) whose family is executed because of political slander.

Song signed on for the role because of her keen interest in art-house films by Chinese directors. Her latest onscreen appearance is in "The Grand Master" by Wong Kar-wai.

Comedian Ge You will challenge himself to portray a commoner with a very heroic spirit in Zhao's Orphan. It is believed that he will inevitably infuse a touch of humor into this originally serious historical drama.

Rising star Huang Xiaoming will play the grown-up orphan, Zhao Wu, who finally avenges his family.

Filming will begin in March at the Xiangshan movie production base in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Director Chen spent about 40 million yuan (US$5.9 million) to set up the base.