Michael Shannon and Emilia Clarke to Star in Biopic MCCARTHY as Politicians Joseph McCarthy and Wife Jean Kerr
Oscar-nominee Michael Shannon (Midnight Special, The Shape of Water, Nine Perfect Strangers) and Emmy-nominated actress Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones, Solo: A Star Wars Story) have signed on to star in the political biopic McCarthy. Shannon will play attorney and former U.S. Republican senator Joseph McCarthy, and Clarke will play McCarthy’s politically ambitious wife, Jean Kerr.
The film will be directed by Václav Marhoul (The Painted Bird) from a script by screenwriter Tom O’Connor (The Hitman’s Bodyguard, The Courier).
The film, now in development, follows McCarthy’s journey from being an ambitious Republican Senator to the most powerful and feared man in the U.S., culminating in a dramatic and absolute ruin.
O’Connor said he relied on research to tease out details of McCarthy’s origin story, such as his fascination with Adolf Hitler:
“Being from Wisconsin, with a heavy German population, McCarthy had been given a copy of ‘Mein Kampf’ by one of his supporters, and came to really study Hitler’s techniques, particularly the big lie. Given that McCarthy is such a darkly iconic figure in our history I was shocked that there had never been a film made about him.”
Shannon, who plays McCarthy, said:
“I had never stopped to consider the humanness of Jo McCarthy. I’d never even stopped to consider where he’d come from, how he was formed. I was fascinated to learn that he had been a boxer and that he had been in the marines. I think that physicality feeds into the strength of how he was able to convince people. Throughout the course of this story one thing that will dawn on the audience is how did a man this flawed and conflicted manage to pull the wool over so many people’s eyes.”
Clarke also talked about her role of Jean Kerr, saying:
“There have been parallels drawn between her and Lady Macbeth, and there is a calculated-ness to her that will allow her to be in a position of power at a time when no woman ever was going to get into that position of power.”
Clarke said of the screenplay:
“It’s fascinating, and it’s nuanced, and it’s complicated, and it’s alarmingly familiar. I have to be a part of telling this story now so I can take some time and better understand what is it about politics that gets particular people to be incredibly persuasive.”
Director Marhoul said of the story:
“We have so many Jo McCarthys around us at the moment. I spent 29 years in a communist regime – the lies, the anti-American propaganda, secret bullies arresting people – so I know what it means when you really face the fear and the evil.”
Marhoul went on to add:
“He wasn’t a black and white guy. He wasn’t evil. He also had positives… He did believe that he was a crusader. The Jo McCarthy movie mustn’t be just a description. I’m not interested in what happened. I’m interested in why it happened.”
The two main characters are joined by McCarthy’s trusted friend and colleague Ray Kiermas, to be played by Scoot McNairy, and ruthless young lawyer Roy Cohn, performed by Dane DeHaan.
This is an incredible cast, and it sounds like a fascinating story. I love historical dramas, and this sounds like a crazy one.
via: Variety