EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Paulson and Peter MacNicol are set to co-star in the HBO film Game Change, produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone. The movie, directed by Jay Roach and written by Danny Strong, follows John McCain’s (Ed Harris) 2008 presidential campaign, from his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (Julianne Moore) as his running mate to their ultimate defeat in the general election. Studio 60 on the Sunset 
Strip alumna Paulson will play McCain’s senior campaign adviser Nicolle Wallace, described as attractive, wholesome, California-bred, smart, focused and an ambitious political writer and communications chief who worked for Jeb Bush and then McCain. Ally McBeal alum MacNicol will play McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis, who oversaw the development and implementation of all campaign strategy and policy development. 
Also cast in the film is Justin Gaston as Levi Johnston, who fathered the baby of Palin’s teenage daughter Bristol (Melissa Farman). ICM-repped Paulson stars in Kari Lizer’s comedy pilot for NBC as well as in the Sundance film Martha Marcy May Marlene, which has been picked up by Fox Searchlight for a release later this year and is now heading to Cannes. Emmy winner MacNicol has been recurring on Grey’s Anatomy. Gaston, repped by CAA and the Hofflund Co., next co-stars in the indie The Escapee.
Meanwhile, HBO today released to the press the first image of Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin. At first glance, she gives Tina Fey a run for her money in the Palin look-alike contest.
Good for Justin he deserves it
The book GAME CHANGE is not about John McCain’s campaign! It is a subplot; the majority of the book is about Hillary vs. Obama. Why bother calling it GAME CHANGE if it’s only going to be about the McCain campaign?
@ John-
Patience, grasshoppper. You don’t know how they have adapated the book as they have not yet announced the casting for Barack & Hillary. (Giancarlo Esposito and Jessica Lange would be great.)
The scene of Palin surrounded by index cards will be worth the price of admission.
Dang! Esposito and Lange are inspired ideas! Hope HBO is reading this board:) They’re the right ages, they look like them, and they’re great actors.
This is the second time Nellie’s introduced a story by saying Game Change is about the McCain campaign.
I’ve always been partial to see Harry Lennix as Obama.
That’s because it is about the McCain campaign. As filming started today, that’s it. That’s all there is. There’s nothing now from the Obama and Clinton campaigns that could be as dramatically compelling as what transpired within the McCain campaign, considering that the two now have high positions in our government.
The cast announcements are part of the promotional campaign. Start with a bang (Ed Harris, Julianne Moore), add some supporting cast (Woody Harrelson, Sarah Paulson, etc.), and then announce casting for the lead roles.
I’ll be curious to see how the script handles the John Edwards/Elizabeth Edwards story, which was the most compelling part of the book. Elizabeth Edwards’ death makes it tacky to depict her the way the book did, and the run-time probably won’t allow time to really get into it without overshadowing Clinton and Obama.
A four-hour mini-series would work better; it’s hard to cram four campaigns (McCain/Palin, Edwards, Clinton, Obama) into a two-hour movie without it coming off like a highlight real.
What you see is what you’re getting. Live with the disappointment.
The novelty of Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin requires a lot more screentime, and there’s not nearly enough drama to hold up Obama/Clinton/Edwards storylines for a film as there is with McCain/Palin.
And there’s not a whole lot of drama in “Obama and Clinton ran for the Democratic nomination for President. Obama was nominated. Obama was elected. Clinton joined his administration as Secretary of State.”
Neither is there much in the Edwards story for the sake of a film? A husband cheating on a wife? Gee, how many films have been about THAT?
But a presidential candidate pulling a completely unknown governor out of Alaska to be his running mate? THAT’s drama, and that’s why this is only about McCain/Palin.
“she gives Tina Fey a run for her money in the Palin lookalike contest.”
Loved Tina Fey as Palin, but Moore is such a better actress. I bet her characterization is going to be awesome!!!
You betcha’!
Good pick for Levi Johnston. Gaston has great potential if given a good chance. Can’t wait to see this one.
I am going to keep expectations low on this one. Was too disappointed by Roach’ last political drama on HBO.
Justin Gaston is so hot, I could cream my pants. And I’m a guy.
It’s a shame Julianne Moore isn’t as hot as Palin, at least physically. Have to forget all the other stuff….
Shame,
You’re kidding, right? People really need to get off this whole “Sarah Palin is hot” nonsense. The woman IS NOT hot. She’s physically inoffensive at best. Julianne Moore is 100 times more attractive and sexier than Palin could dream of being.
Not a fan of Palin’s politics. However, a movie that will undoubtedly cast a barbed bias on her as a human being? Well, I think we all saw how well that worked out for Katie Couric. Something Fran Lebowitz said always comes to mind when Palin surfaces due to a media attack: She would end if the media stopped covering her.
Elton,
What exactly did Katie Couric do to Sarah Palin that was biased except ask her questions anyone who presents themselves as a vice-presidential candidate should be able to answer intelligently. What newspapers do you read? Is that really difficult?
Yay for Sarah Paulson!! She’s fantastic and so talented. Can’t wait to see her in this.
The hair and makeup on Moore look GREAT. We’ll have to wait and see how faithful to the original is her performance.
That Sarah Palin stuff seems dated. Not sure about Julianne Moore. I’m still mad at her for not helping her friends and husband in the movie Blindness. All that unnecessary torture could have been prevented if she would have told everyone she could see.
Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin, Ed Harris as John McCain, and now Sarah Paulson in this political-pot boiler. I’m luvin it! Also its nice to know that someone other than Tina Fey can ‘do’ Sarah Palin.
The book also trashed the Edward’s, but since they’re democrats and the wife is dead they’ll just ignore them?
What do you mean “trashed”? John Edwards brought it on himself.
Hopefully Aaron Sorkin still intends to make that adaptation of “The Politician” by Andrew Young, about Edwards, though I’ve no doubt his HBO pilot takes precedence right now.
who’s playing Michelle Bachmann?