May 21, 2008 12:50

Tom Waits to play The Devil in Heath Ledger's last film

Scarlett Johansson's favourite singer set for new Terry Gilliam movie

Tom Waits is to play the part of the Devil in Heath Ledger's final film, 'The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus', it has been revealed.

Directed by ex-'Monty Python' member Terry Gilliam, the film also stars Jude Law, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Christopher Plummer as Doctor Parnassus.

Speaking in a blog on website Anti, Waits said: "I am the Devil in 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' – not a devil...the Devil. I don't know why [Gilliam] thought of me. I was raised in the church.

"Gilliam is an impresario, captain, magician, a dictator (a nice one), a genius, and a man you'd want in the boat with you at the end of the world."

Actress Scarlett Johansson released an album of Waits covers this week (May 19), entitled 'Anywhere I Lay My Head' – read the full story in this week's issue of NME, out now.