Leo's 'Farragut'
Variety.com WB votes DiCaprio for 'Farragut' Clooney eyeing stage adaptation as director By MICHAEL FLEMING Warner Bros. is developing a screen version of the Beau Willimon’s stage play “Farragut North,” with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star and George Clooney eyeing the project as director. DiCaprio’s Appian Way will produce with Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smoke House shingle. Willimon is writing the script. Appian Way and Smoke House both sparked to the play after reading it, and a marriage was made at WB, where both Smoke House and Appian Way have first-look deals. It is unclear yet whether Clooney will play an onscreen role. The protagonist is a young communications director who works for a fast-rising presidential candidate. During the course of the campaign, the idealistic young man falls prey to the backstabbing and other dirty trickery of seasoned rival politicos. The play is headed for Broadway next year, with Mike Nichols reportedly in line to direct Jake Gyllenhaal in the thesp’s Broadway stage debut. Willimon worked for Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential run, an experience that informed the play. While “Farragut North” has yet to be seen, it has circulated around Hollywood and is creating a quick transition to screenwriting for the Paradigm-repped Willimon. Aside from the WB job, Willimon was tapped last week by director Marc Forster to adapt the 2002 British miniseries “The Jury” into a feature for Fox 2000. The director sought out the writer after reading his play. Timing of the screen version of “Farragut North” hasn’t been firmed yet. DiCaprio just finished starring with Kate Winslet in the Sam Mendes-directed “Revolutionary Road” for DreamWorks, and he’s currently at work starring with Russell Crowe in the Ridley Scott-directed “Body Of Lies” for WB. Clooney and Heslov are completing “Leatherheads,” the 1920s gridiron comedy that Clooney directed for Universal. The film recently got pushed to an April 4 release date after Clooney asked for more time because of his recent motorcycle accident. He’s finishing post-production on that film, and starring with Brad Pitt in the Coen Brothers-directed “Burn After Reading.”

Thank u Stormy. Very interesting news. 1. "Warner Bros. is developing a screen version of the Beau Willimon’s stage play “Farragut North,” with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star and George Clooney eyeing the project as director. DiCaprio’s Appian Way will produce with Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smoke House shingle". That`s great news i think. George is a good actor. But he`s even better as director. And Grant Heslov has proved himself as a producer. 2. "Willimon is writing the script. Appian Way and Smoke House both sparked to the play after reading it, and a marriage was made at WB, where both Smoke House and Appian Way have first-look deals. It is unclear yet whether Clooney will play an onscreen role". It`s always good news when the original writer of a play or a book, writes the screenplay too. Because at least we can be sure that no one will come to fuck things up. And i think George won`t resist the chance for a role. Major or cameo. 3. "The protagonist is a young communications director who works for a fast-rising presidential candidate. During the course of the campaign, the idealistic young man falls prey to the backstabbing and other dirty trickery of seasoned rival politicos". Nothing new then. Right? 4. "The play is headed for Broadway next year, with Mike Nichols reportedly in line to direct Jake Gyllenhaal in the thesp’s Broadway stage debut". Very interesting. Mike Nichols is a genius. And Jake continues to grow as an actor. I`m just wondering when Leo will decide to do theater too. It`s trully unbelievable the fact he`s 33 years old and yet hasn`t step a foot on a stage. Because no matter how many great onscreen performances or how many awards will get... He can`t really call himself a proper...a complete actor, until he does theater. Until then, he`ll be just a movie star...A movie actor if u prefer. Nothing more. 5. "Willimon worked for Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential run, an experience that informed the play. While “Farragut North” has yet to be seen, it has circulated around Hollywood and is creating a quick transition to screenwriting for the Paradigm-repped Willimon". That`s good to know. That`s great to know actually. FYI: The truth is that the majority of Europeans (Me too) preferred Dean over Kerry (and everyone else) for a number of reasons. But that dosn`t matter right now, especially after the catastrophic (For US and the rest of the World) 2004 elections. P.S. Leo`s The 11th Hour opens here December 6. I`m anxious to see if he can deliver as a doc producer too. Or it`s just another harmless eco-activist act to "Save The Planet" (sic).

I`m just wondering when Leo will decide to do theater too. It`s trully unbelievable the fact he`s 33 years old and yet hasn`t step a foot on a stage. Because no matter how many great onscreen performances or how many awards will get... He can`t really call himself a proper...a complete actor, until he does theater. Until then, he`ll be just a movie star...A movie actor if u prefer. Nothing more. Actors in the UK (and I presume Europe) move happily from working on the stage to TV to the large screen, while American actors seem more often to be either TV, screen or stage. A few actors do rove between, but there still seems to be a perception that TV isn't as respectable... I am a serious actor, I don't do TV. It's okay for the George Clooneys and Jennifer Anistons to move from TV to screen, but seldom does it work in the other direction. Why that is, I don't know. Look at Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgrave, who move comfortably between the three. I can't think of a US actress with the same range. I do know many well respected actors who are terrified of the stage. And even fine stage actors still get a case of the nerves which they don't feel on a set.

This sounds a very interesting project. Do hope it gets off the ground. Think many of the British stars started out on the stage and moved into movies and therefore it is easier for them to move back and forth. There is a tremendous difference between doing what Leo does so well, intimately in front of a camera, and learning how to project yourself from a stage. Would love to see him give it a try one day if he ever gets time with the long list of films he has waiting to do. Maybe this is something waiting for him when the time has come to play more character parts. Leo still seems to have so much potential in front of him at the moment and so many parts just calling out for his subtle acting talents which would be lost on a stage.