The great John Lithgow lands a brand new role, in Will Ferrell's latest film, Dog Fight...
John Lithgow is a damn fine actor and one whose praises were sung on this very site in an article yesterday. Which makes it pleasing that we get to report news of his casting in an upcoming film. The film in question is Dog Fight (formerly Southern Rivals), which is a political comedy starring Will Ferrell.
Lithgow will join the supporting cast that includes the likes of Zach Galifianakis and Brian Cox, and the film is to be directed by Jay Roach. Whilst Jay Roach is primarily known for broad comedies such as Austin Powers, Meet the Parents and Dinner for Schmucks, he was also the director of political TV movie Recount and the upcoming Game Change.
In Dog Fight, Ferrell and Galifianakis will play two inept politicians battling for a seat in the North Carolina district election. It’s unclear as to what role Lithgow and Cox will play in the film thus far.
In a recent interview Ferrell had the following to say on the project:
“It’s basically the story of a small time congressional district in North Carolina, in the south, and I’m the incumbent candidate who’s about to run unopposed for my fifth term.
“There’s even mention of me being considered as a candidate for Vice President and that’s as high as my aspirations go. I just want to be Vice President and I have a wife who wants to be the Second Lady.
“We’re politically hungry, and I’m cruising along until I leave what I think is a message on my mistress’ voicemail but it’s really just a random family and it blows up in my face. I’m seen as vulnerable for the first time and the opposition decides to run a candidate against me and that’s Zach’s [Galifianakis] character.
“But you know, the movie is just a platform for us to illustrate how insane our political process has become. The crazy ad campaigns that exist now and the manipulations. We’re going to make it pretty farcical but not really that far from the truth.”
Dog Fight is due for release in August 2012
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