Wow! Josh Brolin Makes a Convincing George W. Bush!
Filed under: Casting, Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand, Images
The world thought one thing when Oliver Stone cast Josh Brolin as our Commander in Chief: "Really? How is that going to work?" And yet, here comes our first look at W. proving that it actually does. It's creepy. Granted, it is still President Bush as filtered through the Handsome and Rugged Machine (TM), but it's not nearly as outlandish as I expected. The same goes for Elizabeth Banks. The magic of hair and makeup. Let's just hand them the Oscar for this one. Entertainment Weekly has a six-page spread on the new film; we've included another photo of Josh Brolin as George W. Bush after the jump.
No release date yet, but shooting begins in two weeks and I am beyond intrigued now. Stone should make this a new franchise. I vote Clive Owen as Vladimir Putin. What do you think? Does it work? Does this whole thing work?
No release date yet, but shooting begins in two weeks and I am beyond intrigued now. Stone should make this a new franchise. I vote Clive Owen as Vladimir Putin. What do you think? Does it work? Does this whole thing work?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-08-2008 @ 9:05AM
Kevin said...
How old are each of them supposed to be in this picture? Brolin looks like the current Bush, but Banks looks like she's Laura from 30 years ago, except that she's wearing Laura's current outfit.
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 9:15AM
Erik Davis said...
Yeah, not for nothing but Laura Bush looks kinda hot.
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 9:20AM
ProgGrrl said...
That's pretty amazing. I can barely see Brolin in there!
This makes me full of questions...do we get to see Thandie Newton and Jeffrey Wright in costume (Rice/Powell)? Did Paul Giamatti actually take the part of Karl Rove?
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 2:49PM
MCW said...
I would expect EW to have pictures of most of the cast. I am a longtime subscriber, and they won't do a cover story if they don't have a plethora of photos. Buy this issue! :D
5-08-2008 @ 10:46AM
Peter Hall said...
Brolin looks great, like he just stepped off a chopper and wants to lasso something. Banks, though, just looks like a hot ass conservative who is plotting something.
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 11:05AM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Brolin looks like Bush if you've never seen him. Banks is 10,000 times hotter than Laura Bush. This is a joke right? They're not really going to make a movie about that twit?
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 2:51PM
MCW said...
They sure did wait long enough to make one that attacks him. Do it when he's leaving office, that way no one gets mad.
I appreciate a movie blasting the "Twit", as you say. Make his life miserable.
5-08-2008 @ 1:29PM
Tigerlily said...
Wow! Truly amazing makeup work and Brolin has obviously been working the expressions. Can they make Laura less sexy hot and bit more vacant eyed? I have agree, right now she looks like she's plotting something.
As much as I really don't want to see a film about Bush, this looks pretty intriguing.
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 1:30PM
Kate said...
Laura Bush's character needs some wrinkles! I'd love to read what the storyline is about. Considering all Bush's folley's during his Presidency, I'm sure it'll be dicey.
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 4:52PM
Craig P said...
Maybe I'm in the minority or it's too early to tell, rather, but I just have a feeling this movie's going to be awful. Maybe not as awful as, you know, the actual presidency, but like laughably bad. And yes, Brolin looks great, spot-on. And Banks is too young looking as Laura but captures her vacant smirkiness well. But this just feels like it could be an extended SNL parody without the laughs. While I agree with the sentiment that films criticizing Bush in anyway would have done more damage to him during the actual administration, on the other hand it feels way too soon to have the right kind of distance to do a fictional film without it just all coming across as silly. Thankfully, there have been plenty of independent docs about the failures of this administration, both on Iraq and other topics, that whatever happens with Stone's film at least there will be some information and perspective checks on film. Guess we'll see, though.
CP
Reply
5-08-2008 @ 11:51PM
AJ Wiley said...
Yeah, this is going to be a BAD movie. But I will still see it.
Also, I do not buy Josh Brolin as George W. Bush whatsoever, at least based on simple appearance. Once I see him act, that could completely change my perception, but like YouFaceTheTick said, he only looks like Bush if you've never seen Bush before.
Reply
5-10-2008 @ 2:40PM
Lee said...
You ever have a feeling the world is playing a joke on you?
Is everyone in here serious? You think that's a great W? The only thing W-ish about it is the wave in his hair. And while I absolutely don't want this to become a party-line opinion or something, I think there's a certain cocky unknowingness in Bush's look that is entirely missing here. Brolin's face tells me "stoic, pride-inspiring leader". Bush has apparently had a different effect on the world.
To me, this says that they were afraid to do anything non-complimentary to these powerful folks, so they cast a couple of hotties with a passing likeness. I call shenanigans (and grandstanding).
Not impressed.
Reply