Lots of Casting Updates on Gus Van Sant's biopic epic "Milk"
Entertainment Weekly has reported that Diego Luna, the Mexican actor famous for his role in Y Tu Mama Tambien, has joined Gus Van Sant’s Harvey Milk biopic, Milk. He will play Jack Lira, a supporter of Milk and also his lover. We’ve already got Sean Penn as Milk, the first openly-gay city supervisor of San Francisco, Josh Brolin as Milk’s assassin, Dan White, Emile Hirsch as gay rights activist Cleve Jones, James Franco as another lover and campaign manager Scott Smith, and further cast played by Victor Garber (Alias), Denis O’Hare (The Anniversary Party), and Stephen Spinella (24).
Diego Luna, left; Jack Lira, right.
Jack Lira was Harvey Milk's friend and, briefly, rumored lover. He committed suicide in early 1978.
Sean Penn, left; Harvey Milk, right.
Harvey Milk was a gay rights pioneer and politician who was brutally murdered by his opponent in November 1978. He was only in office as city supervisor for 11 months and only passed 2 pieces of legislation while in office before he was murdered, but he's left a lasting legacy in local and national LGBT politics. Read more about him and the movie on the film's official MySpace.
James Franco, left; Scott Smith (with Harvey Milk), right.
Scott Smith was Harvey Milk's partner and supporter from 1972 to his death.
Emile Hirsch, left; Cleve Jones (early 1980s), right.
Cleve Jones was a friend and supporter of Harvey Milk; he was also the founder of the AIDS Quilt project.
Josh Brolin, left; Dan White, right.
Dan White lost the political race to Harvey Milk in 1977 and went on a gun rampage a year later that left both Milk and then-San Francisco mayor George Moscone dead. He received only a few years in prison with probation, causing riots in San Francisco that left 160+ people injured. He killed himself shortly thereafter. (Matt Damon was originally in talks for this role, but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts.)
Victor Garber, left; George Moscone, right.
The mayor of San Francisco while Harvey Milk was in office as city supervisor. Straight, but not narrow, he supported most of Milk's initiatives and efforts and was gunned down alongside him by Dan White in 1978. (Dude, this casting is perfect.) Like director Gus Van Sant and co-star Stephen Spinella, Victor Garber is openly gay.
Lucas Grabeel, left; Daniel Nicoletta, right.
Danny Nicoletta worked in Milk's Castro Camera store while working his way up the ranks as a photographer for The Advocate and working on Milk's political campaigns. Today, he is the co-president of the Harvey Milk Memorial Committee and a renown San Francisco photographer.
Douglas Smith, left; Paul Hogarth, right.
Paul Hogarth is a San Francisco political activist, and was for a short time a main officer of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club. He has a nice and not too tl;dr article about Milk's legacy in local and national politics here. (Douglas Smith is the little brother of Gregory Smith, former Everwood star.)
Other people rumored to be in this movie:
I don't know their roles, but if you do, I'll add it to the post. Roles added as of 1/20/2008:
Allison Pill, left; Anne Kronenberg (today), right.
Anne Kronenberg is a lesbian activist and was one of Milk's aides. (Allison Pill was Lindsay's BFF in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen)
Stephen Spinella, left; Rick Stokes, right.
Stokes was one of the people who ran against and was defeated by Milk in his last and only successful campaign. An openly gay real estate speculator, Stokes' platform was that Milk was a bad example of what a "respectable gay lifestyle" should look like. Spinella was last seen as a bad guy on 24.
Denis O'Hare plays John Briggs
O'Hare currently plays Travis March on Brothers and Sisters
source 1, source 2, source 3, source 4, source 5, source 6, source 7
I've heard they're planning for either a November 2008 (to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the assassination) or for Cannes, Spring 2009. Filming starts tomorrow on location. Y'all San Francisco people should try for a fan sign or two. You know at the very least, SpyDaddy reads ONTD.
Diego Luna, left; Jack Lira, right.
Jack Lira was Harvey Milk's friend and, briefly, rumored lover. He committed suicide in early 1978.
Sean Penn, left; Harvey Milk, right.
Harvey Milk was a gay rights pioneer and politician who was brutally murdered by his opponent in November 1978. He was only in office as city supervisor for 11 months and only passed 2 pieces of legislation while in office before he was murdered, but he's left a lasting legacy in local and national LGBT politics. Read more about him and the movie on the film's official MySpace.
James Franco, left; Scott Smith (with Harvey Milk), right.
Scott Smith was Harvey Milk's partner and supporter from 1972 to his death.
Emile Hirsch, left; Cleve Jones (early 1980s), right.
Cleve Jones was a friend and supporter of Harvey Milk; he was also the founder of the AIDS Quilt project.
Josh Brolin, left; Dan White, right.
Dan White lost the political race to Harvey Milk in 1977 and went on a gun rampage a year later that left both Milk and then-San Francisco mayor George Moscone dead. He received only a few years in prison with probation, causing riots in San Francisco that left 160+ people injured. He killed himself shortly thereafter. (Matt Damon was originally in talks for this role, but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts.)
Victor Garber, left; George Moscone, right.
The mayor of San Francisco while Harvey Milk was in office as city supervisor. Straight, but not narrow, he supported most of Milk's initiatives and efforts and was gunned down alongside him by Dan White in 1978. (Dude, this casting is perfect.) Like director Gus Van Sant and co-star Stephen Spinella, Victor Garber is openly gay.
Lucas Grabeel, left; Daniel Nicoletta, right.
Danny Nicoletta worked in Milk's Castro Camera store while working his way up the ranks as a photographer for The Advocate and working on Milk's political campaigns. Today, he is the co-president of the Harvey Milk Memorial Committee and a renown San Francisco photographer.
Douglas Smith, left; Paul Hogarth, right.
Paul Hogarth is a San Francisco political activist, and was for a short time a main officer of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club. He has a nice and not too tl;dr article about Milk's legacy in local and national politics here. (Douglas Smith is the little brother of Gregory Smith, former Everwood star.)
Other people rumored to be in this movie:
I don't know their roles, but if you do, I'll add it to the post. Roles added as of 1/20/2008:
Allison Pill, left; Anne Kronenberg (today), right.
Anne Kronenberg is a lesbian activist and was one of Milk's aides. (Allison Pill was Lindsay's BFF in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen)
Stephen Spinella, left; Rick Stokes, right.
Stokes was one of the people who ran against and was defeated by Milk in his last and only successful campaign. An openly gay real estate speculator, Stokes' platform was that Milk was a bad example of what a "respectable gay lifestyle" should look like. Spinella was last seen as a bad guy on 24.
Denis O'Hare plays John Briggs
O'Hare currently plays Travis March on Brothers and Sisters
source 1, source 2, source 3, source 4, source 5, source 6, source 7
I've heard they're planning for either a November 2008 (to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the assassination) or for Cannes, Spring 2009. Filming starts tomorrow on location. Y'all San Francisco people should try for a fan sign or two. You know at the very least, SpyDaddy reads ONTD.