Demián Bichir’s star continues to rise in Hollywood…

The 48-year-old Mexican actor, who earned his first Oscar nomination this year for his role in A Better Life, has signed on to star opposite Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in The Heat.

In his first English-language comedy, Bichir will play an FBI agent.

Bichir, who was last seen starring opposite Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek in Oliver Stone’s Savages earlier this summer, recently wrapped up work on Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills with Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba and Sofia Vergara.