Photo: Splash News/WENN

Samuel L Jackson has joined the cast of Django Unchained, his publicist has confirmed.

The actor will play a slave called Stephen in Quentin Tarantino's western, a loose re-interpretation of Sergio Corbucci's 1966 film Django.

This will be the fifth time Jackson and Tarantino have worked together, having collaborated on Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, KIll Bill Vol 2, and an uncredited role as a narrator in Inglorious Basterds.

Jamie Foxx will take on the lead role of freed slave Django, haven beaten out Will Smith for the part.

Leonardo DiCaprio will play the villain Calvin Candie, a plantation owner who owns Django's wife.

Christoph Waltz - who won an Oscar for his role in Inglorious - is also rumoured to be part of the cast.

Django Unchained is due for release on Christmas Day, 2012.

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