Jesse Williams in talks for Lee Daniels’ historical political drama “The Butler”

May 11, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Jesse Williams is the latest actor to join the ever-growing ensemble cast of “Precious” director Lee Daniels’ next project, historical political drama “The Butler.” According to Deadline, Williams is in negotiations to join a cast that already includes Forest Whitaker, Hugh Jackman, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Jane Fonda and Liam Neeson.

Based on Wil Haygood’s 2008 Washington Post story “A Butler Well Served by This Election”, the story will follow Whitaker as Eugene Allen, the black White House butler as he goes from an entry level “pantry man” in pre-Civil Rights 1952 to serving eight presidents over 30 years and witnessing firsthand such historical events as the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy. All actors will be portraying real life American historical figures, with Oyelowo as ALlen’s son and Winfrey as his wife. Mila Kunis was also recently rumored to play the role of Jackie Kennedy.

Williams, who we think would make a pretty good Finnick in “The Hunger Games” sequel “Catching Fire”, is a regular on hit ABC medical series “Grey’s Anatomy” and was recently seen on the big screen as one of the victims of Drew Goddard’s horrific “Cabin in the Woods.” He’s currently on hiatus from “Grey’s” and taking advantage of the break to film drag racing biopic “Snake and Mongoose” opposite Noah Wylie.

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