Yoakam joins 'Three Way Split'

LOS ANGELES, June 27 (UPI) -- Country music star/actor Dwight Yoakam has been added to the cast of Hyperion Pictures' independent feature "Three Way Split" for director Scott Ziehl.

The project is in production, with Dominic Purcell, Gina Gershon, Joy Bryant, Ali Larter and Desmond Harrington starring. "Split" is based on Gil Brewer's 1963 pulp novel "Wild to Possess" and described as a darkly comic story of murder, kidnapping, blackmail and sexual deception. Yoakam plays a blackmailer harassing Purcell's character.

"Dwight was always at the top of our list because we knew he would play the villain in a completely original and surprising way," Ziehl told Hollywood Reporter. "He saw his character being ambiguous, which I liked because it opened up a lot of imaginative possibilities in how he interacts with the other cast."

Russell P. Marleau wrote the screenplay and produces with Christian Mills, the first production under the first-look producing deal they signed with Hyperion last year. Hyperion principals Kurt Albrecht, Willard Carroll and Tom Wilhite are executive producers with Brainstorm Media's Meyer Shwarzstein. Richard Middleton is co-producer.

Yoakam's most notable film roles include "Sling Blade" and "Panic Room." His latest album, "Population Me," was released this week.