Ricky Gervais' Netflix movie Special Correspondents has added Kelly Macdonald to its cast.

The Boardwalk Empire actress has signed up for one of the female leads, according to The Wrap.

Gervais has written the script and is set to direct the satire of the social media-focused modern news culture through fictional accounts of a war reporter; he is also understood to have a supporting role.

The film has already cast Eric Bana and Benjamin Bratt to roles.

Bana plays Frank, a New York radio journalist who files fake reports of a South American war all from the comfort of his own Manhattan apartment.

Bratt co-stars as Bana's TV anchor nemesis in the film.

It is understood Macdonald will play a colleague of Bana's called Claire Makepeace who has a crush on Gervais' character Finch.

She then becomes known as the face of the radio station the three work at when Frank and Finch go missing.

Special Correspondents is expected to air on Netflix next year.