JACK NICHOLSON - NICHOLSON TO PLAY IRISH GANG BOSS

JACK NICHOLSON is joining MATT DAMON and LEONARDO DiCAPRIO in their upcoming movie THE DEPARTED - as an Irish gang boss.

Nicholson has met with longtime pals DiCaprio and director MARTIN SCORSESE about the movie, a remake of the Chinese film INTERNAL AFFAIRS, featuring Damon and DiCaprio as opposing undercover cops.

He says, "(I've been) looking for a bad guy - I just did three comedies.

"(DiCaprio, Scorsese and I) had been looking for something to do together."

Of his Boston Irishman role, he jokingly adds, "I won't have to act much."

MARK WAHLBERG will also appear in the movie, which has yet to cast a female psychiatrist.