Principal photography on Chris Rock’s upcoming dramedy, Finally Famous, kicked off today in NYC.

In the film, Rock plays a comedian turned film star who, despite the expectations of his millions of fans, is determined to reinvent himself as a “serious” actor. 

Rosario Dawson and Gabrielle Union co-star with Chris Rock in the movie, which he wrote and is directing, playing a feisty, funny, no-holds-barred journalist challenge for Rock’s character, and his reality star fiancee, respectively.

The Wrap is now reporting that the busiest man in showbiz right now, Kevin Hart, along with J.B. Smoove and Sherri Shepherd, have joined the cast of the movie, which Scott Rudin is producing (he also produced Chris Rock’s Broadway debut, The Mother-F with the Hat).

Hart has signed up to play Rock’s supportive Ivy League-educated agent; Smoove will play Rock’s “security guard-slash-assistant” who is never far from his boss’ side (in the casting breakdown the character is described as: “a burly, very big and imposing African American guy who has a thing for big women”); and Shepherd will play Rock’s ex-girlfriend from high school who still has a thing for him.

Finally Famous marks Rock’s first time behind the camera as director since 2007’s I Think I Love My Wife, which also saw him sandwiched between 2 beautiful women in Gina Torres and Kerry Washington.

Hey, wait a minute! Wasn’t he also sandwiched between two women in the film he wrote, directed and starred in before that – 2003’s Head Of State, with Tamala Jones and Robin Givens?