Casting Call

Palm Beach Post politics columnist George Bennett talks movies today.

Laura Dern will get the scenery-chewing opportunity of a lifetime as Katherine Harris. But there's no official word yet on who'll portray Palm Beach County elections celebs Theresa LePore, Charles Burton and Carol Roberts in an upcoming HBO movie about the 2000 presidential recount.

Former county elections chief and butterfly ballot designer LePore, the most famous local figure in the ballot brouhaha, said Friday she hadn't talked to anyone connected with Recount, which is slated for release next year. The movie's writer, Danny Strong, said he played phone tag with LePore more than a year ago while researching the script but was never able to set up an interview.

Why is playing Katherine Harris a scenery chewing part? Isn't that a term used to describe famous or theatrically trained actors playing roles some would consider beneath them? Like a villain in a James Bond movie or some action flick. Take for instance Tony winning actor Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies, Shakespearean actor Alan Rickman in Die Hard (Which incidentally was Rickman's movie debut), Actor-Playwrights Steven Berkoff in Octopussy or Robert Shaw in Jaws or the multi-talented Gary Oldman in Air Force One. If you want an actress playing a role many would consider beneath their talent, try Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her. All of those I listed above are what I consider scenery chewing roles.

Something did come of it: a film that has such A-listers as Dern, Kevin Spacey, Ed Begley Jr., Denis Leary and Bob Balaban in starring roles and Sydney Pollack as an exec producer. Shooting is expected to begin soon, with the Jacksonville area being used for most locations.

Strong said a New York stage actress is penciled in to play LePore, and the Burton and Roberts roles are "pretty much locked up, but I don't know if I'm supposed to be saying."

As to who should portray him, Burton said, "I figured it would be George Clooney or something. Brad Pitt. Tom Cruise. I've heard nothing."

If Jackie Coogan was alive, he'd be perfect for Burton. Ok, I shouldn't be a casting director then, LOL. How about Adam Arkin then as the Judge?

In other political casting news-

LePore lost her 2004 reelection bid to Arthur Anderson in a close and bitter race. Now state Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, has opened a campaign to challenge Anderson in 2008. LePore said she's not taking sides.

Anderson is a three-time Knucklehead award winner. He always seemed miscast to me as the Elections Supervisor. Palm Beach County voters should use the 2008 election to give Anderson the pink slip.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, High Desert Wanderer, Pirate's Cove, Right Wing Nation, Rosemary, The World According to Carl,