In news that will no doubt be completely uncontroversial and totally fine, Nicole Kidman is in talks to play former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson in the upcoming film about disgraced Fox News chief Roger Ailes. Indeed, the news comes from Variety, who reports that the Oscar-winning actress is in line to take on the key role in Fair and Balanced, which boasts a screenplay by Oscar-winning The Big Short co-writer Charles Randolph.
If the deal makes, Kidman would join Charlize Theron, who is set to play former Fox News host Megyn Kelly in the film and is also producing. Additionally, Deadline reports that Margot Robbie is coming onto the project to play Fox News associate producer Kayla Pospisil. This Annapurna Pictures drama aims to chronicle the rampant sexual harassment that plagued the Fox News offices from the top down, and the events that ultimately forced out Ailes after Carlson broke her silence and Kelly backed up Carlson’s statements. Both women subsequently left the network.
Jay Roach, who directed HBO’s Emmy-winning political dramas Game Change and Recount, is onboard to take the helm of what is his most high-profile theatrically released feature in years. Roach cut his teeth in the comedy realm helming movies like Meet the Parents and Austin Powers, but he also recently directed the biopic Trumbo so he's mighty comfortable in dramas as well. With Theron and now potentially Kidman onboard, Fair and Balanced looks to be one of the most interesting films in development at the moment.
The addition of Kidman only further bolsters the appeal of this project in Hollywood, so I’m curious to see how the rest of this cast comes together, and what other roles there are to fill. Ailes, of course, is the big one, and Russell Crowe is already slated to play Ailes in Showtime’s limited series Loudest Voice in the Room, so there will likely be dueling Roger Ailes performances in the future. But is Sean Hannity a role? Can Christian Bale just play all these characters in heavy makeup?
We’ll no doubt find out soon enough.
