Who Plays Who?

Russell Crowe Ben Affleck Rachel McAdams Helen Mirren Robin Wright Penn Jason Bateman Jeff Daniels Michael Berresse Harry Lennix Josh Mostel Michael Weston Barry Shabaka Henley Viola Davis David Harbour Sarah Lord Tuck Milligan Stephen Park Brennan Brown Maria Thayer Wendy Makkena Zoe Lister Jones Michael Jace

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Cal Rep Stephen Collins Della Frye Cameron Lynne Anne Collins Dominic Foy Rep George Fergus Robert Bingham Det Donald Bell Pete Hank Gene Stavitz Dr Judith Franklin PointCorp Insider Mandi Brokaw PointCorp Executive Chris Kawai Andrew Pell Sonia Bake Greer Thornton Jessy Officer Brown

The Inside Story From securing the film rights to finalizing the cast, the road to putting "State of Play" cameras on the streets of Washington D.C., took as many twists and turns as a political thriller. It began with brilliant source material from Emmy Award winning writer Paul Abbott (TV'S "The Girl in the Café"), the creator of the enormously successful and critically acclaimed 2003 miniseries that aired on the BBC. The persistence of producer Andrew Hauptman (joining with Working Title’s producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner) ensured the adaptation would make it to the big screen. The BBC broadcast its premiere episode of "State of Play" in May 2003. Audiences and critics alike were held rapt by the intertwining stories of Stephen Collins, Cal McAffrey and their associates in politics and journalism. Soon after the series aired, Hauptman began negotiating with agents in London for feature film rights to Abbott’s work. His tenacity led him to a meeting with Abbott at his home in Manchester. There, Hauptman convinced the writer that he would be the right man to produce a movie of Abbott’s work that would be faithful to the spirit of the source material. He closed the deal to adapt State of Play in November 2004 and began the long process of working with writers to morph Abbott’s complex six-hour miniseries into a feature film that would shift the actions to the corridors of American power: Washington, D.C. "The original series was such a rare find in source material. It was a riveting series that grabbed you and didn’t let go; it resonated with me in so many ways. I always thought that by moving the setting to Washington D.C., its scope could be even more powerful and combustible, but just as intelligent," Hauptman said. "The opportunity to get inside the world of the newsroom and feel the drama associated with running a paper, chasing a story and the pursuit of the truth and all of its implications brought a lot of relevance to the story. It tackled issues of conflict and compromise, loyalty and love, and power and career aspirations. That made it incredibly intriguing." Abbott was naturally keen to ensure his carefully constructed series not fall into the wrong hands for translation. "In my initial conversations with Paul, he was concerned about how we were going to turn a six-hour drama into a feature film," Hauptman notes. "We were both concerned about making a movie that lived up to the quality of the series." Hauptman spent the next several years developing the project before bringing it to Universal Pictures, which then brought in Working Title Films. "Like everyone else, we were transfixed when we watched the miniseries several years ago," producer Eric Fellner recalls. "Paul created this universe that exposed the darkest side of humanity and its worst traits of greed, corruption and unyielding ambition. Tim and I knew it would be a huge challenge to distill that much material and draw a story from the series that would be engaging, as well as one smart enough to stand alone. We felt with Andrew and Kevin at our side and the right team of writers, we could do it justice." Finding the correct director for the project was equally painstaking. The producers made an unorthodox choice when they selected an Academy Award ® winning Scottish documentarian Kevin Macdonald ("One Day in September"), who was little known to the feature-film world until his explosive first feature, "The Last King of Scotland", took audiences by storm. "We undertook a worldwide search looking for the right individual, and we were really lucky to come across Kevin, a guy who has a lot of integrity," Hauptman ("The Blind Bastards Club") recalled. "He had seen the series and was moved by the themes that the work covered." "When I saw State of Play on TV, I absolutely loved it," says two-time Alexander Korda Best British Film BAFTA Award winner MacDonald ("Touching The Void" & "The Last King of Scotland"). "Like everybody in Britain loved it, and it won every award going. Five years later, I was sent a script. I was intrigued by it, but initially suspicious, as I loved the series so much." Why was he suspicious? "It’s six hours long. How can I make it into two hours?", MacDonald thought at the time. "Part of the way we got around that was that we changed it rather radically. Although the basic story is the same, there’s a lot that’s very different about it. You realize you can’t make another version of something that was good. You have to reinvent, and that’s what we’ve tried to do." Before filming was set to begin, "State of Play" suffered a setback that affected productions across the United States: the Writers Guild of America strike of late 2007 and early '08. The original two leads, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, opted out of the production. Ultimately, the producers believed they had a brilliant script, as written, with which they should proceed. So they submitted it to two Academy Award ® winners who would promptly give the project new life." When it came to casting the role of The Washington Globe’s veteran newsman Cal McAffrey, the filmmakers went looking for a performer who could play with grit and street smarts, but also a gruff newsman who is holding on to an old standard in the face of change. When considering actors for the part, the team had a fortunate break. The studio asked MacDonald, "Who do you want?" He replied, "I want the best actor in the world, and that’s Russell Crowe." A script was despatched to Crowe and as the director recaptulates, "Three days later, I was on a plane to Australia. Twenty-four hours after that, he’d agreed to do it, and two weeks later he was on set. Russell came in, took the character by the scruff of the neck and totally understood who Cal would be." Oscar ® winner Crowe ("A Beautiful Mind") found the character refreshingly atypical. "One of the things that this story goes into is the ambiguity of the concept of an objective press. They want to tell you they’re objective and their relationships and their lives don’t affect what they write. But in this case, that’s not true. This was one of the things that interested me; they’re human. They do take things personally, and sometimes they can’t get themselves out of the story: with both good results and bad." And how would he describe his character? "I see Cal as a human who has one train of thought, and that pushes him into action," says the three time AFI Award winner (1991, '92 & 2005). "But it’s not heroism; he’s doing what he feels he should do on behalf of his friend. So, right from the beginning of the story, his point of view is polluted." That friend is up and coming Congressman Stephen Collins, played by Oscar ® winner Ben Affleck (co-writer of "Good Will Hunting"). "Stephen has become chairman of this very important committee researching abuses in the Defense Department. He’s a highflier; he’s presidential material: the new Kennedy. Ben Affleck has those looks, that suavity and a huge interest in politics that make him such a great fit for this part," MacDonald offers. "The moral ambiguity attracted me to this part," says 2007 Hollywood Film Festival Breakthrough Directors Award winner Affleck ("Gone Baby Gone"). "Here is this powerful, successful young congressman who has absolutely everything to gain: yet he throws it away by having an affair with a woman who winds up murdered. I felt that Stephen believed he was trying to do right by the people in his life he cared for: he just fell apart." To play the The Washington Globe blogger Della Frye, the team turned to dual ShoWest Convention Award winner Rachel McAdams (2005 Supporting Actress of the Year & '09 Female Star of the Year). "Rachel has this fantastic ability to come across as a complete naïf, then turn that perception on its head by skewering her antagonist," two time BAFTA Film Award winner Fellner ("Elizabeth" 1998 & "Atonement" '08) offered. "Her passion for this project and chemistry opposite Russell meant there was no better option to play Della. As we watched her go head-to-head with him, we knew we’d made the ideal choice in casting." "I was interested in the idea of new journalism versus old," says McAdams. "Her method is more of an instant gratification. She will get an assignment, do computer research, do a little firsthand research and write it up. Cal will skip the computer research and go straight to getting his hands dirty." 2007 Sant Jordi Award winner Robin Wright Penn ("Nine Lives") was cast in the role of Anne Collins, a woman caught between loyalty to a husband whose ideals she still admires and a longing for intimacy she no longer knows in her marriage. "When Robin gives a speech as Stephen’s wife, she’s effectively pleading to the journalists at the press conference to leave them alone and focus on the issues," Hauptman ("Millions") says. "She did it with a lot of integrity and authenticity. When someone like Robin deeply believes in it, the audience can, too." Oscar ® winner Helen Mirren ("The Queen") was drawn to "State of Play" by not only the story", but also the fact that she would be representing powerhouse women of the press, some of whom she met prior to her first day on set. "I liked the smartness of it, the relevance of it, the modernity of it. Plus, I thought it was a great role." Prior to filming she was in Ireland doing an interview for The Irish Times, when a journalist mention their Editor was a woman. Geraldine Kennedy an Irish journalist and former politician, became the first female editor of The Irish Times with the departure (after sixteen years) of Conor Brady in 2002. The four time BAFTA winner was very excited and responded: "Well, I have to meet her." And she did. Her reaction to the meeting Kennedy? "She was great" Mirren ("Gosford Park" & "Calendar Girls") did additional research for the role as the tough as nails editor, by joining a working session at the Los Angeles Times. "They kindly allowed us to sit in on what they call their '4:00 meeting', which is when they start shaping up the next day’s newspaper. The feeling in that room was great. No politeness, just very straightforward, very on the nose. You’ve got to have nerves of steel in that environment." Jason Bateman ("Harvey Milk") was cast as Pointcorp's flashy publicist Dominic Foy. Macdonald calls him, "the most brilliant ad-libber I’ve come across" To play the role, Bateman would have to pull out all the stops as a performer. Though it was challenging for Bateman get into the part of the self-absorbed, whiny, despicable man who leeches off anyone he can to fuel his addiction to power, drugs and youth, his co-stars loved watching him revel in the part. Jeff Daniels was cast as the cutthroat Senator George Fergus. "What’s interesting about the film are the parallels between what’s going on today with the media and politics," the Gotham Award winner says. "It’s a strange time because of 24/7 cable networks and all-day every-day journalism: whether there’s anything to cover or not, that they need to feed the monster." The authentic looking 'The Washington Globe' set,(covering two sound stages) was designed by production designer Mark Friedberg and set decorator Cheryl Carasik The Verdict "An edge of your seat, keep you guessing to the verylast moment thriller, that is not only energetically driven by a superb cast (which includes a scene stealing performance from Jason Bateman), but is also marked by another first class turn from Oscar winner Russell Crowe. This really is Crowe at the top of his game, giving such a consummate performance, it's hard to imagine Brad Pitt in this role. And, if you thought the BBC miniseries (out now in a special Box Set release) was good, wait untill you get a look at this faultless reimaging of writer Paul Abbott's, Edgar Allan Poe Award winning BBC mini-series. "State Of Play". A gripping thriller that would have the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, rubbing his hands with glee. 4 1/2 Stars." Synopsis

In the chess match of Beltway politics, there is constant maneuvering between two worthy teams: politicians who seek to retain their positions of influence and journalists out to uncover corruption that accompanies unchecked power. What binds them is their need for each other. And assassination: whether of a character or a life, is sometimes a means to their endgame. Ambitious U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins is the future of his political party, currently servering as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. High hopes are pinned on this rising star to become a leading national figure: until his beautiful young staff assistant, apparently suicides and buried secrets come tumbling out. Cal has the dubious fortune of having both an old friendship with Collins and his editor, Cameron Lynne, who has assigned him to investigate the story. As he and novice partner Della Frye try to uncover the killer’s identity, McAffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures. In a town of spin doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: When billions are at stake, no one’s integrity is beyond question.

What Do The Critics Say

"THE first thing that struck me about State of Play is how Hollywood had the gall to adapt the acclaimed British mini-series into a slick, glossy and terrifically tense two-hour thriller. It’s the kind of slick showstopper that’s packed with enough twists, turns and deadly tension to lead the news any day of the week." Shannon J. Harvey SUNDAY TIMES AUSTRALIA "Deliciously twisty and featuring a fiercely fun performance from Russell Crowe at its core, the picture is a welcome addition to the conspiracy-mad thriller genre." Michael Smith TULSA WORLD "Possibly the best performance from Russell since "The Insider" ten years ago, and this is the best thriller of the year so far. Exciting, interesting, gripping and impossible not to get sucked into, this is a great movie." Simon Thompson HEART 106.2 "Newspapers may be changing, but accessible adult movies of this quality are certain to keep Hollywood alive and kicking well into this century." Des Partridge SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "Based on an English TV series, this political thriller directed by The Last King of Scotland's Kevin McDonald is about the pursuit of truth at any cost, even when the truth is not what you want to hear. It's about professionalism when personal relationships are involved and when objectivity is swept away in a torrent of good intentions. Legality and morality swirl nebulously and precariously. It's an engrossing tale with fine performances and is at its most enjoyable without too much plot analysis." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE

"This is a smart, knowing addition to the great tradition of 1970s paranoid political thrillers, and as such includes several references to Watergate as well as featuring, as it had to, a tense sequence in an underground car-park." Karl French FINANCIAL TIMES "Even if you don't normally bother with movies, cheer yourself up by seeing this. There hasn't been a more engrossing or intelligent political thriller in the past three decades." Christopher Tookey UK DAILY MAIL "Exhilarating, compulsive storytelling and looks likely to be one of the year’s cinematic highlights." Wendy Ide UK TIMES "Nerves will be racked and I guarantee genuine edge of your seat moments. You may even wonder if Crowe will make it through to the bombshell twist of an ending. This State of Play is excellent." THE SCOTSMAN "State Of Play is a good, old-fashioned thriller. It has believable characters and credible situations. It alternates dogged investigation with scenes of sweaty tension that Alfred Hitchcock would have been happy to orchestrate." Allan Hunter DAILY EXPRESS "This is an enjoyable, well made and intelligent political thriller of the kind that Hollywood really ought to be churning out more often." Matthew Turner VIEW LONDON

The Production Team

Director Screenplay Television Miniseries Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Designer

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Kevin Macdonald Matthew Michael Carnahan/Tony Gilroy/Billy Ray Paul Abbott Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Andrew Hauptman Alex Heffes Rodrigo Prieto Justine Wright Avy Kaufman Mark Friedberg Richard L Johnson & Adam Stockhausen Cheryl Carasik Jacqueline West

Run Time 117 minutes Rated M [AUST] ©2009 - Universal Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark laws applied.