While Jeff Daniels is wrapping his final season of The Newsroom right now on HBO, this may not be the end of Daniels and show creator Aaron Sorkin's working relationship. For word is coming out Daniels will potentially join Michael Fassbender and Seth Rogen in the Danny Boyle-helmed Steve Jobs biopic Sorkin scripted.
This casting development came from The Wrap, reporting the Emmy-winning actor is being eyed to play John Sculley, Apple's former CEO from 1983-1993. They also revealed Fassbender closed his deal to star as Jobs, while Rogen is also set to play Steve Wozniak.
While Daniels does not have the official offer just yet, he is the filmmakers' top choice for the part. Sculley was reportedly among the people in Jobs' inner circle who Sorkin actually met to discuss this project. Should Daniels accept, he will be the second actor to play him on the big screen, after Matthew Modine, who performed as the former Apple employee in the Ashton Kutcher-starring Jobs last year.
Also supposedly in talks to star in the film was Natalie Portman, but she passed just yesterday. No word has come as to who will replace her in the film, or why she declined to appear, though reports say Universal is already meeting with actresses for the part. Filming is expected to begin this spring.
Based on Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of the Apple co-founder, the film will chronicle Jobs' life during three high-profile, and high pressure, product launches, from the first Macintosh in 1984 to the debut of the iPod in 2001. Producing will be Scott Rudin, who also serves as an executive producer on The Newsroom, Mark Gordon, Guymon Casady and Christian Colson.
Daniels, in addition to the newest season of The Newsroom, airing Sunday nights, can also be seen in Dumb and Dumber To in theaters now (read our review here>. He also is rumored to be starring in Ridley Scott's The Martian, which is currently in production.
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