Aussie actress Rose Byrne up for "X-Men" role

LOS ANGELES  – "Damages" star Rose Byrne is in negotiations to join the cast of Fox's "X-Men First Class."

Fox and director Matthew Vaughn are gearing up for a London shoot at the end of this month and zeroing on the last key pieces of its important franchise. The movie, whose story line remains under wraps, focuses on Marvel's superpowered X-Men team in a younger incarnation than seen in the previous trilogy.

Byrne will play Moira MacTaggert, a scientist and an authority on genetic mutation. She'll be the love interest of James McAvoy, who plays mutant telepath Charles Xavier.

Among the cast are Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult and Alice Eve.

Byrne received her second Emmy nomination for her work opposite Glenn Close in "Damages." The Australian actress is shooting Universal comedy "Bridesmaids" with Kristen Wiig and appeared in this summer's "Get Him to the Greek." Also among her film credits are "28 Weeks Later" and "Troy."