Gladys Knight cast in Tyler Perry film

The writer-director has added seven-time winner Gladys Knight and gospel performance winner Marvin Winans to the cast of his latest film, "I Can Do Bad All by Myself." Perry already had cast Mary J. Blige, who has nine Grammy statuettes on her mantel.

"CSI: Miami" star Adam Rodriguez also has joined the cast of the Lionsgate project.

Perry, Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson, Brian White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Kwesi Nii-Lante Boakye and Frederick Siglar also will appear in Perry's adaptation of one of his early plays. The story concerns what happens when Perry's iconic Madea character discovers a 16-year-old girl (Wilson) and her brothers looting her home and sends them to live with their Aunt April (Henson), a hard-drinking nightclub singer.

Knight will play Wilma, a matriarch of the neighborhood and singer at Marshall Baptist Church, where Madea also circulates. Knight, Winans and Blige will sing in the film, with Blige performing an original song penned by Ne-Yo.

Production is under way at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta for a September 11 release.

Knight recently cameoed on NBC's "30 Rock." She last appeared on the big screen in "Hollywood Homicide."

Rodriguez was a regular on "Roswell" and "Brooklyn South."

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

(please visit our entertainment blog via www.reuters.com or on http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/)