John Turturro has signed on to join Jack Black, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh in an untitled comedy-drama from Noah Baumbach, the writer-director of “The Squid and the Whale.”

Turturro will play the husband of Kidman’s character. The story is being kept under wraps, but it is described as a multigenerational story in the same vein as “Squid,” which yielded a screenplay Oscar nomination for Baumbach this year.

Newcomer Zane Pais, Flora Cross (“Bee Season”) and Halley Feiffer (“Squid and the Whale”) also have joined the ensemble cast. The project is set up at Paramount Pictures’ new specialty division.

Kidman plays a woman who brings her pre-teen son with her to visit the upstate home of her sister (Leigh). Pais, the son of stage actress Lisa Emery, plays the son. Cross (Bee Season) plays the daughter of Leigh and her husband (Black). Feiffer plays a neighbor.

The film is shooting in Long Island.

Turturro, who recently wrapped Robert De Niro’s “The Good Shepherd,” directed the musical “Romance & Cigarettes,” which is awaiting release in the U.S. His recent acting credits include Spike Lee’s “She Hate Me,” the Johnny Depp suspense film “Secret Window” and the Adam Sandler comedy “Anger Management.” Turturro won an Emmy in 2004 for a guest stint on USA Network’s “Monk.”