With Steve Carell and Rose Byrne already leading the cast, Daily Show host-turned-director Jon Stewart is building the ensemble for his new political comedy, Irresistible. The latest recruit is Chris Cooper.
With a script also by Stewart, the film will see Carell as a slick Democratic strategist who sees a retired veteran as the perfect person to challenge the sitting mayor in a small, right-wing Wisconsin town. But as he grooms his ideal candidate, he'll come up against his ruthless Republican counterpart, played by Byrne, who has every intention of keeping the current mayor in place.
Cooper will play the veteran who becomes the unlikely new political challenger. And Stewart has now locked in backing for the film, with Focus Features and Universal agreeing to distribute. "In the age of fake news, Jon Stewart continues to be the real deal," says Focus chairman Peter Kujawski. "He’s been making us laugh at the bipartisan commitment to bending the truth for years, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with him and Plan B as Jon brings his signature wit to the big screen with the incredibly versatile talents of Steve, Rose, and Chris."
The cameras will be rolling this spring, so the film could be ready before the end of the year. Cooper will be seen in A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood (due 6 December) and is part of the cast for Greta Gerwig's take on Little Women, out next January.
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