Tom Hanks' Mr. Rogers Movie Is "a Story For Our Instances," Says Director Marielle Heller
Earlier this morning, we wrote about the trailer for Won't You Be My Neighbor, an upcoming documentary approximately the life of television host and inspirational discern Fred Rogers. But that's now not the most effective Mr. Rogers movie it is on the way – Tom Hanks could be moving into the position of the enduring TV persona in a drama called You Are My Friend. We already knew the movie wouldn't be a traditional biopic, and in a new interview, director Marielle Heller reaffirms that belief and offers up a few new plot information as nicely.
Marielle Heller broke out with 2015's indie drama The Diary of a Teenage Girl, where her care and recognize for her characters shone via in almost each body. She'll be behind the camera for You Are My Friend, which she tells Entertainment Weekly is "now not a biopic."
"It's without a doubt now not. It's a movie that is largely focused on a reporter and [Mr. Rogers'] courting to his life, and the way [the reporter's] complete international adjustments while coming in contact with Fred Rogers."
That reporter is Tom Junod, who become assigned by Esquire to jot down a profile of Fred Rogers in 1998. Junod did not think he'd get tons out of the writing mission, but he was so moved by using his encounter with Rogers that it altered the path of his existence. Heller explains:
"It's a tale for our times, a story approximately kindness and circle of relatives connection and seeking to faucet into our higher self. God knows we need that right now! In the studies for the film, the writers found that extra human beings than they could likely be counted credited Mr. Rogers with changing their lives.... [It's about] one guy who's in a essential factor in his existence — turning into a new father, having issues with his personal father — and assembly Mr. Rogers to write down a piece approximately him, questioning it'll be a chunk of a puff piece, however it finally ends up changing his whole life."
The filmmaker says she hasn't started operating with celebrity Tom Hanks on his take on the individual yet, but says, "we've got had a lot of conversations about the individual and he is familiar with the essence of Mr. Rogers." Heller says her lead actor is "essence sensible, in the identical vein" as Rogers, which she credit as part of the motive his casting become so nicely-received on line.
Transparent producers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster wrote the script for You Are My Friend, which starts offevolved filming this fall for Tri-Star Pictures. It does no longer have a launch date scheduled but.