UK actress joins Jim Carrey penguin film

LOS ANGELES - Rising English actress Ophelia Lovibond has joined the cast of "Mr. Popper's Penguins," a family comedy starring Jim Carrey.

Based on the award-winning book by Richard and Florence Atwater, "Penguins" tells the story of a high-powered businessman (Carrey) who inherits six penguins. As he gets acquainted with, and increasingly attached to, his winged roommates, Popper's life quickly unravels. His swanky New York apartment is turned into a snowy winter wonderland, the deal he's long been working on is derailed, and he almost lands in jail. But thanks to his new charges, Popper comes to understand the importance of family, human and otherwise.

Lovibond is playing Popper's personal assistant. Carla Gugino is already on board as Carrey's wife. The Fox movie shoots next month in New York. Mark Waters ("Mean Girls") is directing.

Lovibond appeared as a love interest to Aaron Johnson's John Lennon in "Nowhere Boy." She will make her American debut early next year in "No Strings," an Ivan Reitman comedy starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.