Actor and narrator Nick Nolte smiles during a panel discussion for the Starz documentary "Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film" at the "Television Critics Association" summer 2006 media tour in Pasadena, California
Actor and narrator Nick Nolte smiles during a panel discussion for the Starz documentary "Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film" at the "Television Critics Association" summer 2006 media tour in Pasadena, California July 10, 2006. Reuters

Nick Nolte is joining the cast of Gangster Squad, TheWrap has confirmed.

The Oscar-nominee will bring his gravelly voice to the period crime film as the Los Angeles chief of police.

The Warner Bros. film is shaping up to have a truly top-shelf cast. Sean Penn has been tapped to play the gangster Mickey Cohen and Ryan Gosling will co-star as his LAPD protagonist. Emma Stone, Josh Brolin and The Killings' Mireille Enos also star.

Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) directs.

For Nolte it's another high-profile role following up his performance as the alcoholic trainer in next month's Warrior -- a role that's generating awards buzz. He also has a key part in HBO's hotly anticipated David Milch series Luck.

Deadline first broke the news of Nolte's casting.

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