"Not many actors check all those boxes. Brendan does."
Brendan Gleeson is set to play President Donald Trump in a miniseries for CBS Studios.
Gleeson stars opposite Jeff Daniels in the four-hour event.
It is based on former FBI director James Comey’s bestselling book 'A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership'. Daniels plays Comey.
Billy Ray, whose writing credits include 'Captain Phillips' and 'The Hunger Games', penned the script and directs. He's also a writer on the upcoming movies 'Gemini Man' and 'Terminator: Dark Fate.'
According to Deadline, Ray "researched the project for over a year in order to make the drama a fair, responsible and comprehensively documented account of real-life events." This included travelling to to Washington, D.C. and other cities to meet with Comey, his family, and other key players such as journalists, FBI agents, and government officials.
Ray said in a statement regarding Gleeson's casting:
“It’s hard to imagine a bigger acting challenge than playing Donald Trump. You have to have presence, and a singular kind of dynamism. You also have to have the courage and the will to play Trump’s psychology from the inside out. Oh, and you have to be spectacularly talented and watchable. Not many actors check all those boxes. Brendan does. I’m ecstatic about this.”
Given Gleeson's extensive and wide range of credits, we know he's more than up to the task.
CBS execs have yet to decide on an air date and whether the mini will broadcast on Showtime, CBS All Access, or both.