Tiscali Celebrity

Former LOST star DOMINIC MONAGHAN is set to return to his adopted LORD OF THE RINGS home, New Zealand, after signing up to join the all-star cast of X-MEN spin-off WOLVERINE.

The British actor will play the electrifying Barnell in the new movie, which stars Hugh Jackman, Liev Shreiber and Ryan Reynolds.

Monaghan's casting comes just days after Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am announced he'd be taking part in the sci-fi action prequel.

The hip-hop star/producer is still coming to terms with the role. He tells MTV News, "That's cool! I don't mean to toot my own flute, but toot-a-toot-toot!"

He will play teleporting mutant John Wraith, aka Kestrel, in the new film.

Will.i.am admits he was stunned to get the part after arguing with the casting director in the middle of his audition: "They asked me if I knew about X-Men. I was like, 'Pssh, I know X-Men.'

"They were like, 'Yeah, you know, you're gonna play a teleporter.' And I was like, 'You mean like Night Crawler?' 'Night Crawler wasn't a teleporter.' 'Yes he was a teleporter! The dude was a teleporter! He would be on the walls, and he was in the presidential office disappearing and people couldn't really hit him. He was like, disappearing, poof poof.'

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