Mariah Carey Connection

Showbiz 411 Exclusive: Lee Daniels’s “The Butler” started shooting yesterday in New Orleans. And there’s a lot of news I can tell you EXCLUSIVELY about this film starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. First of all, Quincy Jones has signed to compose the soundtrack. That’s a big big deal. And now I’ve heard that Daniels will film a scene for the opening of the film with Mariah Carey and Vanessa Redgrave far removed from the White House setting of the rest of the film. It sounds pretty cool, but I’ve been asked not to give it away.

Mariah is already said to be complaining about her makeup, which — as in “Precious”–she will be de-glamourized. And there’s more: because Liam Neeson is shooting Paul Haggis’s new film in Italy, he had to drop out of the role of Lyndon Johnson. So Liev Schreiber steps in. (The role of Lady Byrd is said to be minor.) And Olivia Washington, daughter of Denzel and Pauletta Washington, will make her screen debut as a civil rights activist. So far the only actress I’d like hear is in “The Butler” but isn’t is LaTanya Richardson. Lee–find her a role!
“The Butler” will be Daniels’ first PG-13 movie after more adult fare with “Monster’s Ball,” “Precious,” and “The Paperboy,” his wild new movie that opens this fall with an Oscar tipped performance by Nicole Kidman.

Fox News 23: Mariah Carey has reportedly signed on to join the all-star cast of biopic The Butler.

Carey will reteam with her Precious director Lee Daniels for the project, which chronicles the life of manservant Eugene Allen, who served under eight U.S. presidents.

It is not known what role Carey will have in the film, which will star Forest Whitaker as Allen and Oprah Winfrey as his wife. Also joining the cast: James Marsden as John F. Kennedy, Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy, John Cusack as Richard Nixon and Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda as Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

The casting news comes just two days after Carey confirmed reports she has signed on as a new judge on TV talent show American Idol.

Filming on The Butler has begun in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Black Film: t hasn’t been specified which role she will play, but pop singer-Grammy award winner/ actress Mariah Carey is the latest person to be cast in Lee Daniels‘ film, The Butler. She last appeared in Daniels’ Oscar nominated film, ‘Precious.’

Laura Ziskin Productions and Lee Daniels Entertainment announced today that principal photography for the epic historical drama THE BUTLER has begun in New Orleans. Directed by Academy Award-nominee Lee Daniels (PRECIOUS) from a screenplay penned by Daniels and Danny Strong, the film is inspired by the true story of an African-American man who served as a butler in the White House for over thirty years.

From this unique vantage point, THE BUTLER traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.

As previously announced, the film will star Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) as the lead, Cecil Gaines, with Oscar-nominee Oprah Winfrey (THE COLOR PURPLE) playing his wife, Gloria, and David Oyelowo (THE PAPERBOY) as his son Louis. The cast also includes John Cusack as President Richard M. Nixon, Alan Rickman as President Ronald Reagan, and Jane Fonda as First Lady Nancy Reagan, as well as Cuba Gooding, Jr., Lenny Kravitz, and Terrence Howard.

Newly announced today are additions to this all-star cast, including Robin Williams as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Melissa Leo as First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, James Marsden as President John F. Kennedy, Minka Kelly as First Lady Jackie Kennedy, and Liev Schreiber as President Lyndon B. Johnson, as well as Mariah Carey, Vanessa Redgrave, Alex Pettyfer, Yaya DaCosta, Pernell Whitaker, Colman Domingo, Elijah Kelley, and Jesse Williams. Music for the film will be composed by the legendary Quincy Jones.

A Laura Ziskin Production, THE BUTLER will be produced by Pamela Oas Williams, the late Laura Ziskin, Lee Daniels, and Cassian Elwes; executive produced by Hilary Shor and Adam Merims; and co-produced by David Jacobson.

THE BUTLER is financed by Follow Through Productions, Windy Hill Pictures, Salamander Media, Salloway Rubenstein Productions/Crystal City Entertainment, Earl W. Stafford, Starstream Films, Yogi Entertainment, and Inner Media Capital. Executive Producers are Buddy Patrick, Michael Finley, Sheila C. Johnson, Brett Johnson, Matthew Salloway, Earl W. Stafford, Jordan Kessler, Liz Destro, R. Bryan Wright, and James T. Bruce IV. Co-Executive Producers are Charles Sauveur Bonan, Allen Frederic, Kim Leadford, Harry I. Martin, Jr., Ari Daniel Pinchot and Jonathan Rubenstein.

As previously announced, THE BUTLER marks a high-profile return to production for Icon UK Group, who also came in as major investors on the project. Len Blavatnik, Aviv Giladi and Vince Holden will also serve as Executive Producers.

CAA packaged the film and is handling North American sales along with Cassian Elwes. The film is being represented by IM Global for international sales.

The film is co-produced by Julia Barry and Danny Strong, and associate produced by Wil Haygood, Horatio Bacon, Eric Falkenstein, Andrew Herwitz and Christina Papagjika.

Cinema Blend: Much of the buzz around Mariah Carey lately has revolved around her decision to sign on to American Idol as a judge for season 12. But before that gears up, she’ll be prepping for her return to the big screen in Lee Daniels’s ambitious historical drama The Butler.

Inspired by the true story of African-American White House butler Eugene Allen, the film follows the evolution of our nation over the course of eight presidencies through the eyes of the man who waited on each of its Commanders-in-Chief. Forest Whitaker, who previously won an Oscar for bringing horrid history to life with The Last King of Scotland, will take on the lead. For his supporting cast, Daniels has been collecting scads of noteworthy actors to play presidents and First Ladies, from John Cusack as Richard Nixon, to Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, and Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy. Black Film reports Carey has committed to join this sprawling ensemble, though it’s unknown what role—or historical figure—she might portray.

Just a few years ago Carey’s inclusion in a cast like this would have been summarily scoffed at, but that was before Daniels convinced her to shed her glamorous image and play a stern but dedicated social worker in his heart-wrenching drama Precious. Her work in the film drew critical praise, yet The Butler is the first film she’s signed on to since. With such an expansive time span to cover, and her last minute addition to the cast, it is unlikely Carey’s role will be much more than a small supporting part. Still, she’s proved compelling under Daniel’s direction before. All that remains is to see which First Lady she might be slated to play.

The Butler is now in production in New Orleans.