Originally posted Tuesday, June 18, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Clint Eastwood has cast all the major parts for his upcoming film about Richard Jewell, the security guard falsely accused of setting off the bomb at Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The movie, titled “Richard Jewell,” is set to start production sometime this summer in metro Atlanta.
Paul Walter Hauser - who played Shawn Eckhardt in the Tonya Harding film "I, Tonya" also shot in Atlanta - will portray Jewell.
Emmy-winning "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm will play an FBI agent investigating the bombing. Olivia Wilde, who directed the recent critical hit "Booksmart" and was on the cast of Fox's "House" for several years, will play Atlanta Journal-Constitution police reporter Kathy Scruggs. She broke the story about Jewell being an FBI target.
Two-time Oscar winner Sam Rockwell will play Jewell's attorney while Oscar winner Kathy Bates will portray Jewell's mom Bobi.
Jewell was cleared by the FBI 88 days later. He later became a police officer but died at age 44 in 2007 of heart failure.
Credit: ALAN MOTHNER
Credit: ALAN MOTHNER
Credit: Dia Dipasupil
Credit: Dia Dipasupil
Variety broke the story on the Hamm and Wilde casting.
Several years ago, when the project was first announced, Jonah Hill was supposed to play Jewell and Leo DiCaprio the FBI agent. But it never got off the ground. Neither will be in the Eastwood-directed film but will remain producers.
Coincidentally, a TV show focused more on the reporter Scruggs (played by Carla Gugino) is shooting in Pittsburgh right now for second season of the anthology series "Manhunt: Lone Wolf." It will air on a new streaming service Spectrum Originals for Charter subscribers.
Credit: (left) Rick McKay/AJC (right) Getty Images
Credit: (left) Rick McKay/AJC (right) Getty Images
Credit: Left: AP Right: Getty Images
Credit: Left: AP Right: Getty Images
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