Liam Neeson set to play President Lyndon Johnson in new movie .....Oprah, John Cusack also expected to star
Posted on Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:51 PM
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Director Lee Daniels is casting his film 'The Butler,' the story of Eugene Allen, a servant who served through eight White House presidents including LBJ. according to FirstShowing.net.
Daniels, who is African American, directed Academy Awards winning movie 'Monsters Ball' and also last year's hit 'Precious.'
Allen survived to cast a vote for Barack Obama and saw him elected president.
Allen began working in the White House in 1952 under President Truman and remained there until Ronald Reagan.
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In addition to Neeson as LBJ, John Cusack, Mila Kunis and Oprah Winfrey are also being pursued for major roles.
Winfrey will be sought for the role of Allen's wife.
Cusack is down to play Richard Nixon while David Oyelowo is seen as the most likely actor to play Allen.
The LBJ era is heavily featured as it was the time when the civil rights legislation came into law and its dramatic effect on blacks, including the working in the White House became clear.
Ironically, Neeson had been considered for the role of Abraham Lincoln in a new Steven Spielberg film but that role has since been taken by Daniel Day Lewis, a fellow Irish citizen.
Neeson had also wanted to work with Daniels on a previous film where he would have also played LBJ. He was wanted for the role in Daniels' now dead project 'Selma,' so this just makes sense. Hopefully we'll hear official word on casting for 'The Butler' sooner than later.
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slainte39 | Feb 27, 2012, 03:02 PM EST
Was Johnson more corrupt than Nixon...at least he finished his term without being shown the door.
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borefield | Feb 25, 2012, 07:51 PM EST
I agree with BippyBellito, Johnson was just the most corrupt and obnoxious president. He hated the Blacks yet, they all voted for him and continue to this day to support his politics by voting in similar people.
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BippyBellito | Feb 25, 2012, 07:39 PM EST
LBJ was one of the most corrupt, obnoxious presidents the US ever had (with the exception of the current Fraud in the White House). He was a crude, lewd womanizer who despised blacks but recognized a way to control them through his Great Society. He said that Detroit would be his "model city". Seen Detroit lately. It sure is what LBJ wanted for Blacks. An entire city in disarray.
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Scrivner | Feb 25, 2012, 06:26 PM EST
LBJ was not my favorite President, but he was a complex person. Never met him, but did have lunch with Lady Bird in late '68. She was extremely gracious, but looks extremely tired. Also, the White House mess did not know how to make good pizza.
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colkelley | Feb 25, 2012, 10:10 AM EST
Will this be used as a defense of how Vietnam somehow became "Nixon's War," or to glorify LBJ's "Great Society" and his "War of Poverty" that have enslaved Black Americans in the welfare loop for 50 years? I remember a bumper sticker that read "Where is Lee Harvey Oswald now that we REALLY need him?"
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donal1951 | Feb 25, 2012, 10:03 AM EST
Neeson can play virtually any character. But I do hope the focus of the movie, is, as stated, more on the butler than the presidents he served.
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hooligan6a | Feb 25, 2012, 09:47 AM EST
I wonder if Hollyworm will rip Johnson up like they did Bush in "W" I doubt it.
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