SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Potential presidential nominee Hillary Clinton coming to a TV, movie theater near you
Aug 1, 2013, 7:09 AM | Updated: 7:29 am
Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, and Scarlett Johansson are all rumored to be in talks to play Hillary Clinton in the feature film, "Rodham." (AP Photos/Composite)
(AP Photos/Composite)
Hillary Clinton may be officially out of the public eye for the first time in two decades but she’s definitely the hot topic of discussion in Hollywood these days. Versions of her life story will be popping up as a TV mini-series, a documentary film, and a good-old-fashioned biopic movie.
These Hillary-centric projects won’t be seen until 2014 but they’re in the pipeline now, a full three years before a presidential run, a presidential run she very well may decide not to make. Hollywood is banking on the fact she will.
NBC recently announced it will produce a four-hour miniseries about the former First Lady. The network has already signed Diane Lane to play Hillary. Interestingly, her ex-husband Josh Brolin, played George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s film “W.” a couple of years back.
Documentarian Charles Ferguson already has one Oscar to his credit, for a movie about the financial meltdown (“Inside Job”) and another Oscar nomination for his film about the Iraq War (“No End in Sight.”) He’s now going to be making a full-length documentary about Hillary Clinton. Given his track record, I doubt it will be a puff-piece.
As for that biopic, it’s very pointedly going to be called “Rodham.” Directed by James Ponsoldt, whose film “The Spectacular Now” opens this weekend, “Rodham” will focus on Hillary’s earlier years. In the Watergate era, Hillary Rodham was in her mid-20’s and working with a group of fellow D.C. lawyers on how to legally impeach a President. The movie will focus on how she wrestled with her personal and professional prospects: a brilliant political career in D.C. versus moving to no-count Arkansas to be with the man she loved. We all know what path she ultimately chose but a lot of us may wonder why she made that choice.
As for who might snag the leading role, Carey Mulligan, the British actress who just played Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, has reportedly turned the part down. Speculation is now running high for the likes of Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain, Emmy-winner Claire Danes, and even Scarlett Johansson who’s a politically active Democrat.
I wonder who Hillary would vote for?
Something tells me her husband might go for Johansson.
