Alicia Keys has been killing people with her musical gifts ever since was 5 years old. Now she'll be killing them much more literally.
The multiplatinum artist is in talks to make her acting debut in "Smokin' Aces," an action comedy that would cast the songstress as a ruthless asassin.
Reynolds ("The Amityville Horror"), Jeremy Piven (TV's "Entourage") and, in a smaller role, Ben Affleck. The Grammy-winning Keys would be hoisting her gun for another award-worthy talent, as the film will mark director Joe Carnahan's first effort since his critically acclaimed 2002 drama "Narc."
With a plot straight out of the "48 Hours"/ "Midnight Run" playbook, "Aces" casts Reynolds as an FBI agent masterminding a manhunt for a loudmouthed standup comedian (Piven). With the comic making plans to testify against the mafia, Keys and a collection of fellow hired killers seek to cash in on the contract on his life. As Reynolds' character attempts to bring the squealing joker into police custody, the comedian insists on entertaining one last Tahoe crowd.
Piven, recently nominated for an Emmy for his character of Hollywood agent Ari Gold in "Entourage," is also well-known for his comedic work in films like "Old School" and "PCU." Affleck, who has kept a fairly low profile since the underperforming quadrilogy of "Gigli," "Paycheck," Jersey Girl" and "Surviving Christmas," would be adding "Aces" to a handful of potential-comeback vehicles currently in development.