Tom Waits, best known for his music, has acted in quite a few movies. He was in Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mystery Men among others. Most recently he played Satan in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus .
Cinematical are reporting that an AICN source has word that Waits could be playing an unknown role in Guillermo Del Toro's
The Hobbit:
"As much as I'd like to say he's a lock (certainty), I'm told he's simply someone the production is talking about -- but they seem to be talking about him pretty seriously."
I've seen Waits in pretty much everything he's acted. He steals the show in every one. But he wouldn't seem to be a natural fit for Tolkien's fantasy world. Of course, that unmistakable voice would. Which is why I'm hedging my bets that if he is cast, it will be as the voice of a certain jewel encrusted dragon.