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Star Trek actor Colm Meaney is close to signing up to play Martin McGuinness in a movie about his relationship with Ian Paisley, it is being claimed today.

US showbiz website Deadline is reporting that the Dublin born star has “come on-board” to play McGuinness in The Journey in which he will star opposite Timothy Spall who will play Paisley.

The film is to chart how the former enemies grew to become close friends that were dubbed the Chuckle Brothers thanks to their apparently jovial relationship.

The film is being written by Co Down-born novelist and screenwriter Colin Bateman and is set to be filmed here in the autumn.

Shooting is believed to starting mid-September on location in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The BBC is reporting that sources close to the production are saying that discussions with Mr Meaney are at an advanced stage and agreement should be reached shortly.

He played Chief Miles O’Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for more than a decade, becoming one of the show’s most prominent characters.

And he has also appeared in a number of hit films including The Commitments, Con Air, The Damned United and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.

Meaney has also had an extensive career on stage and TV, appearing in a number of shows and productions. He supported McGuinness in his bid to become president of Ireland in 2011, and spoke at a rally in Dublin’s Mansion House alongside the Sinn Fein MLA.

There had previously been speculation that Liam Neeson and Sir Kenneth Branagh were being lined up to play the former first minister and current deputy first minister of Northern Ireland.