Timberlake takes Shrek part

Justin Timberlake is continuing his ascent into Hollywood with a starring role in animated sequel Shrek 3, alongside his real-life girlfriend Cameron Diaz.

Timberlake has already finished two movies with the likes of Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman, but Shrek will be his first out-and-out comedy.

He plays a young King Arthur who is reluctant to become ruler and gets some coaching from the jolly green giant.

Meanwhile, in other casting news, Meryl Streep will be attracting the wrath of top New York fashionistas in the screen adaptation of bestseller The Devil Wears Prada.

She will play tyrannical magazine editor Miranda Priestly, a character apparently based on infamous Vogue grand-dame Anna Wintour.

No-one is yet signed to play the lead role of a young female assistant who comes to The Big Apple to work for Priestly and gets more than she bargained for.