Actor Sacha Baron Cohen is in final negotiations to join the cast of Django Unchained for director Quentin Tarantino.

Sacha Baron Cohen will play Scotty, a gambler who purchases Django's slave wife (Kerry Washington) to use as a female companion. Scotty is said to be a smaller role, but he plays a vital part in the story. Sacha Baron Cohen will join a cast which includes Jamie Foxx as Django and Leonardo DiCaprio as plantation owner Calvin Candie.

Quentin Tarantino is directing Django Unchained from his own original screenplay. Stacey Sher, Pilar Savone, and Reginald Hudlin will produce, with Harvey Weinstein, Michael Shamberg, and James W. Skotchdopole executive producing.

Production is scheduled to begin early next year.