50 Cent chooses Irish director for film debut

Rap superstar 50 Cent has baffled fans with his choice of director for his upcoming movie debut - acclaimed Irish film-maker Jim Sheridan.

Oscar nominee Sheridan, whose credits include My left foot and In America, will step behind the cameras on Locked and loaded - which will star 50 Cent as an inner-city drug dealer who walks away from a life of crime to pursue a successful career in rap music.

Van Toffler, president of MTV Films, who are financing the movie, says: "A movie starring 50 Cent and directed by an acclaimed talent like Jim Sheridan is exactly what audiences have come to expect from MTV Films."