One of the strange quirks of the post-modern U.S. Presidency is that there always has to be a TV show or movie about you while you’re still in office.
This trend apparently started with Bill Clinton when Primary Colors, which was not about him but was totally about him, hit theaters in 1998. George W. Bush received the dubious honor of having a TV show about (The unfortunately titled That’s My Bush) as well as Oliver Stone’s W. Barack Obama was spared the honor over his eight-year term (though Southside with You and Barry covered periods of his life before becoming president) and we thought, perhaps, the trend was over.
Only one year into his administration, however, Donald Trump has already seen a TV show about him pop up (The President Show) and now he’s about to see the second TV show about him head into production as well. The trend is not only continuing, it’s speeding up.
Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, the controversial book by Michael Wolff which set off a political firestorm in recent weeks, is being turned into a television show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Endeavor Content, a partnership between William Morris Endeavor and IMG, purchased film and television rights to the book somewhere in the seven-figure range. So far, a network isn’t attached, but Wolff will executive produce it alongside Channel 4 and BBC executive Michael Jackson (different Michael Jackson, you guys).
The book charts Donald Trump’s first year as President of the United States based on Wolff’s access to the White House and the people working inside it. Bringing the salacious and shocking details described inside to TV might seem like a no-brainer, but the quality of the show and the actors they choose to portray the people at the heart of the story will make all the difference.
So, the obvious question becomes, who will portray Donald Trump et al.?
Donald Trump
We’re going to want to do this the right way and cast an actor who portrays Trump as a human being, not just for laughs. So you’re out, Alec Baldwin. We need someone of considerable heft (all due respect) and someone who can command the curious cadences that The Donald uses as he speaks and moves. John Goodman immediately comes to mind. He’s a larger fellow who could believably fit Trump’s frame, and he’s also a damn good actor who can find a way inside the character without making him cartoonish (well, more cartoonish than he already is).
Another possibility could be Martin Sheen in the ultimate casting against Presidential type. We might need to get some prosthetics involved but it would be fascinating to see the man behind Josiah Bartlet also become a President diametrically opposite to that. Plus we could totally see Sheen’s well-coiffed hair making sense in more of a slapdash Trumpian style.
If you want to cast an actor who is undoubtedly going to give Trump a fair portrayal, you might want to go with Jon Voight. Voight’s real-life views align with Trump so he’s not going to play him for laughs. He kinda already looks like Trump in terms of age, build, and facial features. The only downside is that he’s probably not going to want to take part in a TV show that’s all about showing how dysfunctional the current White House is.
Melania Trump
In a surprising move, we think it might actually be possible to just take Cecily Strong from SNL and tweak her portrayal of Mrs. Trump to make it work in the “real world.” She already brings some much-needed sadness and pathos to the comedy sketches, imagine what she could do if she wasn’t playing the character for laughs?
Anyone who watched Tony Award-winning actress Laura Benanti take on Melania during a sketch on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was left wondering why we shouldn’t just go with her. Again, she played the role for laughs, but her uncanny delivery and mastery over the character could easily translate to a dramatic version. The Supergirl and Nashville actress can clearly stretch herself.
Steve Bannon
While he’s no longer involved in the White House, Steve Bannon will surely play a major role in the TV show given his position during the first half of the year. This is one of those times when we just have to defer to the popular pick. As Vulture noted, you can’t beat Twitter’s pick of Ray Liotta. It’s too on-point. Like, way too on-point.
Sean Spicer
Things move pretty fast these days, so it’s easy to forget what a major character Sean Spicer was in the early days of the Trump administration. The peevish former Press Secretary was smug, but in a nerdy way. Powerful in the moment, but you just knew that he was a real doofus behind the scenes (and sometimes in front of them).
The first person who comes to mind is Bob Odenkirk. As his profile has grown in recent years, Odenkirk has become a master of portraying these kinds of characters. Spineless louses who project a righteousness they have no right to. He looks enough like him that it makes this a near-perfect option, assuming they can still afford the soon-to-be action star.
Michael Flynn
Flynn’s tenure with the NSA was brief (24 days), but his impact on the Presidency ever since is huge. We’re going to need someone who can step into small scenes and nail this attack dog-turned-patsy who realizes all too late that’s the first domino to fall.
If we can age-up Steve Carell, there’s a decent chance it could work, although it’s unlikely that Carell will want to commit to the TV role. Instead, we’re going to go with John Cusack. The former Hollywood star is looking for a juicy role to sink his teeth into and he could do some fun work here. There’s a borderline resemblance and a little makeup can go a long way to make it work well enough.
Stephen Miller
Donald Trump’s senior advisor for policy just oozes creepiness and more than a fair share of disturbing views. We need someone who can really step into a character who isn’t just a creep, but doesn’t know how not to be a creep (a special skill).
If he were a little bit older, we’d wholeheartedly suggest Željko Ivanek, who has not only made a career out of playing these kinds of guys but also really looks like Stephen Miller in 20 years. Instead, we’re going to lean on Corey Stoll, who has the bald look down and can tap into those qualities for sure.
[THR]
