Another prominent actor — this time, Oscar-nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.) — has been added to the cast of Steven Spielberg‘s Lincoln. The casting hype began last November when heavyweight Daniel Day-Lewis was cast in the title role.
Recently, it’s been heightened by the additions of Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, and a load of other recognizable names. Strathairn will portray Lincoln’s Secretary of State William Steward, “an outspoken abolitionist and a core member of Lincoln’s wartime cabinet.” [Deadline]
Production on the project is scheduled to begin this fall in Virginia — a time during which, depending on the success of his upcoming films, Spielberg may also be busy doing some Oscar campaigning. A late 2012 release is the current goal for DreamWorks, which will release the film through Disney’s Touchstone label. The screenplay was adapted by Tony Kushner (Munich) from Doris Kearns Goodwin‘s book Team of Rivals.
What do you think of the addition of Strathairn? Are you a fan of the cast as a whole?