Melissa Barrera cast in The Collaboration

Melissa Barrera has joined the cast of 'The Collaboration'.

The 'In The Heights' actress has signed on to star alongside Paul Bettany, Jeremy Pope and Daniel Bruhl in the big-screen adaptation of the acclaimed play by Anthony McCarten.

'The Collaboration' is set in the summer of 1984 and revolves around the relationship between iconic artists Andy Warhol (Bettany) and Jean-Michel Basquiat (Pope).

The duo agree to work together on what may be the most talked about exhibition in the history of modern art, but can the creative giants co-exist with differing views of life and art?

Barrera is set to play the role of Maya, a formidable truth-teller who loves Jean-Michel Basquiat and is wary of Warhol.

The play had its world premiere at London's Young Vic Theatre in February, with Bettany and Pope playing Warhol and Basquiat respectively.

Renowned theatre director and writer Kwame Kwei-Armah is making his feature directorial debut on the project after helming the original run of the play. Production on the movie will begin this month in Boston.

Melissa starred in the horror film 'Scream' earlier this year but revealed that she would have never entered the genre had it not been for the popularity of the slasher franchise.

She said: "I would've never even looked at a horror script if it hadn't been 'Scream'.

"And so I opened it because it was 'Scream', and because I know how big it is... because I was a huge fan when I was little. And then I loved the character. So I was like... the script is so good and there's the original characters going back... yes, no brainer."