When it was announced that Alan Rickman was cast as President Ronald Reagan in director Lee Daniels The Butler  my first reaction was “well that is an odd yet interesting choice”.  This was the same reaction I had when it was announced that Michael Douglas would be portraying Liberace in HBO’s Behind the Candelabra. Like Michael, Alan is an actor that enjoys playing diverse characters and, in most cases, they turn in a solid performance.

Over the last couple of months there have been some set photos of Forest Whitaker (Cecil Gaines) and Robin Williams but the one photo I’ve been waiting for is one of Alan as #40. Today I got my wish as Oprah Winfrey posted on twitter a set photo of her with Lee Daniels, Jane Fonda (Nancy Reagan), and Alan.

Have to say I am impressed!

The casting choices for The Butler have been interesting to say the least – Robin Williams as Dwight Eisenhower, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon B. Johnson – one would think at first glance that The Butler was going to be a parody. There is just too much talent involved in this movie that is has quickly became one of my most anticipated films of 2013.

The Butler  is about the life of Cecil Gaines, who was a butler at the White House and worked for eight Presidents.