Hugh Jackman has accepted a role in the film Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Hong Kong director Wayne Wang (Maid in Manhattan, Last Holiday). Variety reports he will star with Jeon Ji-Hyun and Li Bingbing (The Forbidden Kingdom).
Bingbing replaces Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi who was supposed to star in the film and co-produce but who abandonned the project last month.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is based on the novel by Lisa See and tells the story of two women during the 19th century, Snow Flower and Lily, and how the rigid code of behaviour in China shaped their lives.
Filming begins this week near Shanghai. Jackman will arrive in mid-February.
Jackman is working on several films this year, including Unbound Captives by Madeleine Stowe with Robert Pattinson et Rachel Weisz. He is taking part in Prisoners which will be released on October 22. Then there is Reel Steel to be released on November 18, 2011. He is also reprising his role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2 out next year.