The most recent actor aboard Lee Daniels’s (Precious) next film The Butler is Liev Schreiber (Salt), who will play former US president Lyndon B. Johnson, joining a parade of presidential portrayals by actors in the extensive star-studded film. Robin Williams is cast as Dwight D. Eisenhower, James Marsden (Hairspray) will be John F. Kennedy, John Cusack (2012) will portray Richard Nixon, and Alan Rickman will be Ronald Reagan, according to Deadline Hollywood. Daniels’s drama is based on the true story of Eugene Allen, to be played by Forest Whitaker (Repo Men), who worked as a butler in the White House, serving eight presidencies covering more than 30 years, from 1952 to 1986. Mariah Carey, Jane Fonda (Nancy Reagan), Melissa Leo (Mamie Eisenhower), Vanessa Redgrave, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) also costar along with Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), who will play Allen’s wife and son, respectively. The Butler is filming right now in New Orleans for release in 2013. Quincy Jones is attached to compose the music.
