Considering Eugene Allen served as a pantryman and butler in the White House for 34 years under 8 Presidential administrations, we can expect to see numerous portrayals in Lee Daniels' The Butler. With Alan Rickman set as Ronald Reagan, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, we now know who will play one of the first Presidents for whom Allen worked.
Robin Williams is set to play Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President who took office in 1953, just months after Allen began working at the White House under Harry Truman. Forrest Whitaker will play Allen, with Oprah Winfrey as his wife, and David Oyelowo, Minka Kelly, Jane Fonda, Lenny Kravitz, and many more as part of the growing ensemble. We haven't seen Williams on screen in a few years, having last starred in the terrible 2009 comedy, Old Dogs.
Also, Williams has been confirmed to lead the high concept comedy, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn. He entered talks for the film back in May, which will also feature Peter Dinklage, Melissa Leo, Mila Kunis, and James Earl Jones. Directed by Phil Alden Robinson, the story has a stand-in doctor telling an obnoxious patient he only has 90 minutes to live. As the patient goes on a contrite tour of the city to try and right all the wrongs in his life, the doctor frantically goes off in search in him.
The Butler begins filming later this month, while 'Angriest Man' kicks off in September.
