What Do You Think of the Casting Choices for Lee Daniels' "The Butler"?

I’m sure you’ve been hearing in the news about this new film “The Butler”, with the great Forest Withaker in the title role and the actors hired to take part in it. What do you think of these supporting casting decisions that have been made thus far.:

Matthew McConaughey-JFK
Minka Kelly-Jackie O
Liam Neeson-LBJ (rumored)
John Cusack-Richard Nixon
Alan Rickman-Ronald Reagan
Jane Fonda-Nancy Reagan

Do you think this is wise casting that will make this film into a hit, or will this mosaic of Who’s Who in Hollywood affect this film’s success?

Fonda is way too old
Rickman would require a mask
Cusack is an excellent choice
McConaughey is sort of soulless and could probably do the accest
Minka, ehh

Here’s my verdict.
McConaughey and Cusack are too mediocre to portray former presidents
Fonda, as a liberal (and a very radical one) would not be convincing to play a conservative First Lady
Neeson is a great actor, but can he play LBJ ?
Rickman-same as Neeson can he play Reagan?
Kelly, can’t render an opinion because I really don’t know her as an actress

Fonda is way too old

Nancy Reagan was age 60 in 1981:

Jane Fonda today (age 74):

Fonda, as a liberal (and a very radical one) would not be convincing to play a conservative First Lady

Acting?

are you proving or disproving my point Robert?

Judy Davis would be a great choice as she was in The Regans

If I could get an image where Fonda was lit like Reagan, I think you would see very little difference in age. Reagan is lit very flatly, diminishing any wrinkles.

The studio will make Fonda look sixty, don’t you think?

yeah, I guess they could

but there are plenty of actresses who are around Nancy’s age that can do it without complicated lighting.

what about Streep

Honestly, I thought Fonda was an inspired choice because she is a liberal – if she has any acting chops, this is her film.
The marketing draw alone…

You know who could have played Nancy Reagan, Judy Parfitt who played Vera Donovan in Dolores Clairbourne. Even though she isn’t a household name I think she could pull it off. I mean its not too late.

Who would you thought of for the other roles?

Any opinions on Judy Parfitt as Nancy Reagan?

I’m surprised this isn’t getting more traction in the news for the mere fact this is Oprah’s return to acting in over a decade. That doesn’t interest me but overall this film has such a hot/cold cast it is insane. Daniels needs Rick Baker to handle the Cusack transformation.

@Peter Smith

I think Daniels needs a whole bunch of makeup artists if he wants convincing portraits of these former Presidents.

A Lee Daniels movie being anticipated by anyone is news to me.

Moderated

Why? What do you have against her?

from deadline.com:

Robin Williams will play President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Lee Daniels’ film based on the life of Eugene Allen, a long-time White House servant who worked for eight First Families over three decades. He joins an ensemble cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Redgrave, Terrence Howard, John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda and Colman Domingo. Danny Strong wrote the script with Daniels based on Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about Allen

“I’m sure you’ve been hearing in the news about this new film “The Butler”

uh, no, I sure haven’t. how are you defining “in the news”?

Robin Williams as Eisenhower ?? As much as I like him as an actor and comedian, this is just becoming a Hollywood pick and choose. This film will not gor to the Oscars, but rather the Razzies. This has disaster written all over it.

According to imdb Alex Pettyfer, Cuba Gooding Jr, James Marsden, Zac Efron, and Melissa Leo are also in the film. I am definitely NOT impressed. I hope this film bombs in order to deter producers and directors from doing these ridiculous Hollywood ensemble pieces.

Alan Rickman makes an odd Reagan