Brendan Gleeson Cast as Donald Trump in CBS Miniseries Based on James Comey's Book
A new miniseries at CBS Studios has found its Donald Trump.
According to Deadline and Variety, Brendan Gleeson has been cast as the president in an upcoming four-hour series based on former FBI director James Comey‘s 2018 book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership.
Jeff Daniels has been cast as Comey, who made headlines in 2016 and 2017 for his handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton‘s use of a private email server and his role in the ongoing investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Comey was abruptly fired by Trump in 2017; his book recounts his tumultuous stint as FBI director, as well as his ousting.
The as-yet-untitled project, set to begin shooting next month, is reportedly being written and directed by Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, Shattered Glass).
“It’s hard to imagine a bigger acting challenge than playing Donald Trump,” Ray told Deadline in a statement. “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.”
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Of Daniels’ casting, Ray told Variety: “Jeff is so perfect for this part. Great actor, instant integrity, loads of warmth, intelligence, complexity and gravitas. We talked backstage after I saw him in To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway, and I knew I was looking at the only person who could play Jim Comey. Lucky for me, he said yes.”
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Since his firing, Comey has been outspoken against Trump, calling him “morally unfit to be president” in a 2018 interview.
During a CNN town hall in May, Comey, 58, spoke out against Trump, 73, once again, saying that he would canvass for Democrats in the upcoming 2020 election even though he used to be a Republican.
“The President of the United States cannot be someone who lies constantly,” he said. “I thought Republicans agreed with that. It’s one of the reasons I’m no longer a Republican. I hope the American people will realize we have to start at that values level no matter what our political background and answer that question first.”
CBS execs will reportedly decide later on the airdate and whether the mini is broadcast on Showtime, CBS All Access, or both.
