It’s time to play Cast the Clintons! US broadcaster NBC says it will soon air Hillary, a major miniseries starring Diane Lane as the first lady-turned-secretary of state.
Not to be confused with Rodham, the still-in-development movie about Hillary in her 20s, with a bevy of young stars in play for the lead role.
For the TV version, set from 1998 to the present day, we already have our Hillary — but what fleshy-faced, voracious tower of charisma should play Bill Our notes for the casting directors:
Jeff Bridges: Pro: Shave the True Grit grizzle and he looks just right. Con: Too old to play Bill in ’98. Too A-list for TV.
Matthew Modine: Pro: Right age, not too distractingly famous. Con: Tower of charisma Ha. Too skinny.
Josh Brolin: Pro: Charisma to burn, already played a POTUS (in “W.”). Con: Newly divorced from Diane Lane.
Neal McDonough: Pro: Veteran TV actor with a cocky manner, can tackle good/bad ambiguity. Con: Meh.
Woody Harrelson: Pro: True Southerner. Loads of swagger. Cons: Too big for network TV. Too short. Too hard to envision with hair.
Thomas Haden Church: Pro: Right fame level for this project. Con: Quite possibly too craggy.
Russell Crowe: Pro: Unrivaled talent, face like a slab of beef. Con: Waaaaay too A-list for TV.
Dominic West: Pro: Suave, rakish. Nailed the US accent on The Wire. Con: Too rakish. Can he truly feel our pain
Billy Bob Thornton: Pro: Arkansas native. Nice blend of charm and darkness. Probably available. Con: None.
Sean Bean: Pro: The Game of Throne star has gravitas, a cult following, maybe a decent Southern accent in his back pocket. Con: None we can see. Call him!
-Slate
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