More Pretty People Join Oliver Stone's 'W'

Thandie Newton and Ioan Gruffudd join Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks in biopic

Zap2It.com

April 7, 2008

Thandie Newton

Its political choices can be debated endlessly, but the Bush Administration may go down as one of the most attractive in world history, at least if Oliver Stone has his way.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Thandie Newton will play a surprisingly young and pretty version of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Stone's "W," a biopic of our current present starring Josh Brolin as a surprisingly young and pretty version of George W. Bush.

Also new to the film is Ioan Gruffudd, playing a surprisingly young and pretty version of British prime minister Tony Blair.

Elizabeth Banks was Stone's previously announced generous casting pick as as a surprisingly young and pretty Laura Bush, while James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn will play George Bush I and Barbara Bush.

Production on "W," which looks at George W. Bush's presidency and his formative life influences, will begin production shortly.

You can currently catch Newton on the big screen in "Run Fat Boy Run." Her earlier credits include "Mission: Impossible II" and "The Pursuit of Happyness."

Gruffudd recently booked a lead role in the CBS pilot "The Meant To Be's." He's best known for the "Fantastic Four" movies and a series of Horatio Hornblower telefilms.