Beanie Feldstein to play Monica Lewinsky in the next FX 'American Crime' series

[David10086]

FX announced yesterday that the next 'American Crime' series will focus on the Clinton / Lewisnky  sex scandal , with Beanie Feldstein playing Monica Lewinsky, and Sarah Paulson playing her coworker Linda Tripp. No name has been mentioned on who will play Bill Clinton.

https://pagesix.com/2019/08/06/fxs-next-american-crime-story-is-about-bill-clintons-sex-scandal/

[raddersons]

Annaleigh Ashford will also be in this as Paula Jones. They've also decided to release it September 2020.... election season anyone?

[David10086]

Yes, just six weeks before election. Coincidence? I doubt it. We'll see what effect it has (if any) on the election. I personally think the audience for this series is too small to carry any weight, one way or another. 

As a matter of fact, it will be interesting to see how many tune in after the 'Versace' series last year, which lost many viewers each week (too boring).

[ChildofEarth]

I think this will be an event - people who love the Clintons and hate them alike will want to watch it. Both seasons of this show were excellent with fantastic performances, so I'm excited for this. It is interesting to look at viewership, as OJ did better in the US but Versace did better across the world. I believe this will be mainly US fodder again.

[Valentina3]

Curious to see who they cast as the Clintons. I'd love an actual honest portrayal of what was going through Hillary's mind when this was going on around her. As an ambitious woman who had decided to stick with her husband through his obvious faults, what it took for her to essentially come out so forcefully against Monica. Bill is not nearly as interesting as these women when it comes to this story.

[Tag]

Michaela Diamond looks Chelsea-ish at a younger age.  And she is out of work soon :P

[CurtainPullDowner]

I'm assuming Beanie and Sarah understand they are participating in what will surely be a hatchet job on the Clintons and therefore the Democratic Party since Lewinski is totally on board,  It will certainly be a topic to show the hypocrisy of bringing up frump's sexual proclivities.  Even though the Clintons are not running for anything we all know how frump loves to act as if they are.  I would stay as far away as possible from this if I was trying to avoid any political leanings. My 2 cents.

[BrodyFosse123]

CurtainPullDowner said: "I'm assuming Beanie and Sarah understand they are participating in what will surely be a hatchet job on the Clintons and therefore the Democratic Party since Lewinski is totally on board, It will certainly be a topic to show the hypocrisy of bringing up frump's sexual proclivities. Even though the Clintons are not running for anything we all know how frump loves to act as if they are. I would stay as far away as possible from this if I was trying to avoid any political leanings. My 2 cents."

This is a Ryan Murphy project.  He can get anyone he wants for some time now.  He makes a phone call, and actors agree to any offer without seeing a script.  Everyone wants to work with him and know whatever project he creates has its own flavoring.  He combines rumors, facts and urban legend to all his bio projects so everything is included.  Its not one-sided as he covers all angles so viewers take things as they may. 

 

[David10086]

I'm thinking - if he gets Bill Clinton's speech and accent down correctly - Brad Pitt would be a great choice to play Clinton. He's just about age appropriate, and if they make his hair gray he could look the part - just has to get his speech and mannerisms  down. 

[Valentina3]

^ And Michelle Williams as Hillary?

[BrodyFosse123]

Michelle Williams as Hillary and Brad Pitt as Bill Clinton are fantastic choices.  And remember, its a Ryan Murphy project so nothing is too far-fetched or impossible regarding casting.  

[TotallyEffed]

I’d love to see Martha Plimpton as Hillary.

[Hot Pants]

I really like Beanie, but I’m just not sure if she’s the right fit for Monica Lewinsky

[Pose2]

Yikes. What a terrible miscast.

[Jacaranda2]

Given that Lewinsky is billed as one of the "producers," I don't imagine the show will tilt in favor of Clinton.  This woman has been milking the golden cow ever since she had a consensual relationship with the former President.   I won't be watching.

[Valentina3]

Jacaranda2 said: "Given that Lewinsky is billed as one of the "producers," I don't imagine theshow will tilt in favor of Clinton. This woman has been milking the golden cow ever since she had a consensual relationship with the former President. I won't be watching."

Couple things. Her life was quite literally destroyed for a long time after the incident. She was a smart young woman with a probably quite a bright future ahead, who made a few wrong choices and was frankly taken advantage of by a much more powerful person who really should have known better. I'm glad she's the one making money off of her own story.

And I don't want the story to tilt in anyone's favor. I just want to see if they'll go deep with Hillary's character or do the caricature version most of the media around the time show her as.

[Hot Pants]

Valentina3 said: "Jacaranda2 said: "Given that Lewinsky is billed as one of the "producers," I don't imagine theshow will tilt in favor of Clinton. This woman has been milking the golden cow ever since she had a consensual relationship with the former President. I won't be watching."

Couple things. Her life was quite literally destroyed for a long time after the incident. She was a smart young woman with a probably quite a bright future ahead, who made a few wrong choices and was frankly taken advantage of by a much more powerful person who really should have known better. I'm glad she's the one making money off of her own story.

And I don't want the story to tilt in anyone's favor. I just want to see if they'll go deep with Hillary's character or do the caricature version most of the media around the time show her as."

Agree with all this. I have a lot of respect for her having to go through so much humiliation. Anyone who hasn’t seen her interview with John Oliver is missing out. It was some truly fascinating stuff.

[poisonivy2]

It's a Ryan Murphy project. In general he doesn't do hatchet jobs. His FEUD with Joan Crawford and Bette Davis gave a most sympathetic portrait of Joan Crawford. It won't be a hagiography but I trust he can do well in capturing Bill and Hillary.

[Valentina3]

poisonivy2 said: "It's a Ryan Murphy project. In general he doesn't do hatchet jobs."

I'll let Jordan C take this one, but I agree with you that FEUD S1 was masterful.

[Pose2]

Why would he do this during election season? I hope they change the date, it's terrible timing and Ryan Murphy is a liberal Democrat. So....doesn't make sense.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

"I told her, 'Nobody should tell your story but you, and it's kind of gross if they do. If you want to produce it with me, I would love that; but you should be the producer and you should make all the goddamn money.'" -- Ryan Murphy on Lewinsky's involvement (from THR)

So yes, this will very much be Lewinsky's "side" of the story.

Maybe Bill and Hillary won't even be on-screen characters in it? Time will tell!

[kdogg36]

CurtainPullDowner said: "It will certainly be a topic to show the hypocrisy of bringing up frump's sexual proclivities."

I would think that a show frankly exposing Clinton's own sexual aggression, produced by a liberal Democrat, would have precisely the opposite effect: it would legitimize attacks on Trump's sexual crimes.

[David10086]

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: ""I told her, 'Nobody should tell your story but you, and it's kind of gross if they do.If you want to produce it with me, I would love that; but you should be the producer and you should make all the goddamn money.'" -- Ryan Murphy on Lewinsky's involvement (from THR)

So yes, this will very much be Lewinsky's "side" of the story.

Maybe Bill and Hillary won't even be on-screen characters in it? Time will tell!"

If the Clinton's are not on-scree characters, then there won't be much story there. 

[Tag]

^Yes it would have been like if they had done the OJ story...without OJ.

[Nycat63]

kdogg36 said: "CurtainPullDowner said: "It will certainly be a topic to show the hypocrisy of bringing up frump's sexual proclivities."

I would think that a show frankly exposing Clinton's own sexual aggression, produced by a liberal Democrat, would have precisely the opposite effect: it would legitimize attacks on Trump's sexual crimes."

Sadly I think you are overestimating the general public’s intellectual ability to view it this way (or to know Murphy is a liberal).  I’m with Pose2 - horrific pre-election timing for Democrats.