Brit Chaplin joins Malick's 'Red Line'

By MONICA ROMAN

NEW YORK --- British thesp Ben Chaplin, who used the telephone as a sublime tool of seduction in "The Truth About Cats & Dogs," is joining Sean Penn and Adrien Brody in Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line," which begins lensing in Australia later this month.

The cast of "Red Line," which Malick adapted from James Jones' novel based on his experiences in the Battle of Guadalcanal, also includes Woody Harrelson and George Clooney. Chaplin will play the role of Corporal Bell.

After making his American film debut in "Cats & Dogs," Chaplin was cast opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh in Agnieszka Holland's screen adaptation of Henry James' "Washington Square." The Caravan production will be released by Walt Disney at the end of 1997.

Chaplin was featured in the Merchant Ivory films "Remains of the Day" and "Feast of July" and has appeared in such BBC productions as "Casualty" and "The Borrowers."

His legit credits include "The Neighbor" and "The Glass Menagerie," for which he received an Olivier Award nomination.

Chaplin is managed by Marc Epstein at Gallin Morey and repped by Steve Dontanville and George Freeman at ICM.