Griffin checks in to New Line's 'John Q'

Washington, Duvall also set to star

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Griffin

NEW YORK -- Eddie Griffin is set to join Denzel Washington and Robert Duvall in "John Q," the Nick Cassavetes-directed drama for New Line.

In the James Kearn-scripted drama, Washington plays a father who takes a hospital emergency room hostage because his son has been denied a heart transplant by his insurance company. Griffin plays an emergency room patient who becomes an ally of John Q in his quest to help his son. Evolution Entertainment's Mark Burg and Oren Koules are producing.

Griffin joins the film after wrapping production on Touchstone's "Double Take," which was written and directed by George Gallo. Griffin was most recently seen as Rob Schneider's pimp in the Touchstone comedy "Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo." He is repped by Basic Entertainment's Peter Safran, and agented by Randi Michel of William Morris.