South Korean pop star Rain to debut in Hollywood film

South Korean pop music star Rain will debut in Hollywood in the Wachowski brothers' new action adventure film "Speed Racer," a manager for the artist confirmed Wednesday.

Photo: South Korean pop star Rain to debut in Hollywood film

Rain, 25, who enjoys surging popularity throughout Asia with his sculpted body and dance moves, will play a supporting role as a racing car driver who is a link between two lead characters, Cho Dong-won, the manager said.

"I will work with the attitude of a new (actor) as it will be my debut in Hollywood," Cho quoted Rain as saying.

The start of filming of the movie - based on "Mach Go Go," a 1960s Japanese animated series about car racing that also was aired in the U.S. - will be announced in Berlin on May 31 with a news conference, said Cho.

The cast also includes Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon, Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci and John Goodman.

Andy and Larry Wachowski, creators of "The Matrix" trilogy, will begin shooting the new film in Germany in June and Warner Bros. plans to release it in May next year, Cho said.

The film is to be produced by Joel Silver, who also made "The Matrix" flicks and "V for Vendetta."

Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, played a lead role in the 2006 South Korean film "I'm a Cyborg, but that's OK" directed by Park Chan-wook.

Rain recently was the top-ranked celebrity on a Time magazine Internet poll of the world's most influential people.