Jada Joins Will in Ali

January 15 -- It's going to be a family affair on the set of Ali. Jada Pinkett Smith will play the first wife of Muhammad Ali, in the project starring her real-life husband Will Smith as the poetic pugilist

Pinkett Smith 29, will play Sonji Roi, a cocktail waitress and model in the biopic which is being directed by The Insider director Michael Mann, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The $105 million film, which started shooting this week, also stars Jon Voight as sports commentator Howard Cosell and Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X.

The cast also includes Jamie Foxx as trainer Drew "Bundini" Brown, The Fugitive's Mykelti Williamson as boxing promoter Don King, Ron Silver as trainer Angelo Dundee, and Paul Rodriguez as fight physician Dr. Ferdie Pacheco.

The film follows the legendary boxer in his early days, including his refusal to fight in Vietnam, which led to his being stripped of his heavyweight title.

The film is scheduled for a Christmas release.

Pinkett Smith, last seen in Bamboozled, has been mentioned to join the Matrix sequels.