Jeff Daniels (“Good Night and Good Luck,” “State of Play”) is negotiating to play a newsman with his own show in Aaron Sorkin’s new HBO pilot set backstage at a cable news network.
Sorkin, who worked with MSNBC’s “Last Word” anchor Lawrence O’Donnell on “The West Wing,” reportedly hung out behind the scenes at both “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” and “Hardball With Chris Matthews” to research the HBO project.
Sorkin’s other credits include “A Few Good Men,” “The American President,” “Sports Night,” “Studio 60,” “Charlie Wilson’s War,” and “The Social Network.” He scripted the upcoming Brad Pitt movie “Moneyball” and intends to write and direct “The Politician,” based on the book by former John Edwards aide Andrew Young about the former presidential candidate's strange life.
Daniels starred with “Social Network” star Jesse Eisenberg in “The Squid and the Whale.”
Find Deadline’s story on the matter here.
