Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Whitaker Up For Daniels' Butler

Forest Whitaker is in talks for the lead role in "Precious" director Lee Daniels' biopic "The Butler" says Variety.


The film follows the true story of Eugene Allen, a black man who served as a White House butler for 34 years starting in 1952. He ended up serving eight presidents and had a unique front row seat as political and racial history was being made.

Danny Strong wrote the script which was rewritten by Daniels and is based on a Washington Post article by Wil Haygood

Allen’s wife died the day before the 2008 election and was buried on the same day that the article was published. Eugene died in 2010

Daniels is reportedly after "The Help" actor David Oyelowo for the role of Allen's son. He also wants former talk show queen Oprah Winfrey to play Allen’s wife. Hugh Jackman, Mila Kunis and John Cusack have all emerged as potential cast members in the film with Kunis up to play Jacqueline Kennedy and Cusack to play President Richard M. Nixon. Liam Neeson is reportedly being lined up to play President Lyndon B. Johnson

Pamela Williams is producing the film.

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