Tim Roth has signed on to join the growing cast of Selma, portraying the Alabama governor George Wallace.

The plot centers on the historic march from Selma, Alabama to the state capitol in Montgomery, lead by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo). When the march was first organized, Governor Wallace, who was in favor of segregation, vowed to stop it. After the first wave of marchers were beaten by his Alabama state troopers, protesters of all races came flooding into the region, which ultimately lead to President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Civil Rights Act, which gave African-Americans the right to vote.

Carmen Ejogo, Andre Holland, Omar J. Dorsey, Tessa Thompson and Colman Domingo round out the supporting cast of this historical period piece.

Ava DuVernay is directing from a script she co-wrote with Paul Webb, with Plan B's Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner producing alongside Ava DuVernay, Christian Colson and Oprah Winfrey.

Tim Roth most recently starred in Broken and the upcoming Grace of Monaco.