This is either a totally brilliant career move, or the dumbest casting decision ever. The History Channel (otherwise known as the Hitler & Roman Orgy channel) is going to be producing their first-ever scripted mini-series. It will be about The Kennedys, and they’ve just cast Katie Holmes as Jackie. What the…? Sure, there’s a vague resemblance. Dark hair, dark eyes, same skin tone, and I guess the lighting, makeup and styling will help a great deal. But Katie with her stumbling diction and her talking out of the side of her mouth, playing Jackie Kennedy, a woman who would never be caught dead speaking with anything less than perfect diction? Really? Oh, and Greg Kinnear as JFK. That’s not terrible, actually. Barry Pepper as RFK. Tom Wilkinson as Joe Kennedy Sr. That one is great casting!
She’s one of Hollywood’s most famous faces, but Katie Holmes will soon be one of the country’s most famous first ladies – at least on the small screen.
The actress has signed on to star in The Kennedys, an eight-hour mini series premiering in 2011 on the History Channel, as Jacqueline Kennedy, alongside Greg Kinnear, British actor Tom Wilkinson and Barry Pepper, the network said Wednesday.
Kinnear, who was most recently seen in The Last Song with Miley Cyrus, stars as President John F. Kennedy, while Pepper will play the role of Robert Kennedy. Wilkinson, who played Benjamin Franklin in 2008’s John Adams, will portray Joe Kennedy Sr.
[From People]
Okay, so I’m a bit of a Jackie-loonie. Not that I really adore the woman or anything, I just find her interesting, and I’ve read several of the biographies done on her. I’ve also seen a few of the existing miniseries out there about the family – one in particular with Jill Hennessy as Jackie. Why not go for Jill again? She was fabulous! Ugh. Something tells me Katie is going to be the weak link of this miniseries.
Oh, I just thought of who would be AMAZING as Jackie, only she would need to lose weight because Jackie was really, really thin: Anne Hathaway. Hathaway would be totally brilliant!
if she has the acting chops it could be a break-through performance for her depending on script, etc.
i can see some similarities between kate and jackie’s focus on their children in spite of their husband’s personal choices. (at least what we hear about tom, etc. i don’t really know obviously).
interesting.
meh I guess I could see the stretch- I look forward to seeing what comes of the mini series.
great am going to get stone for saying this, but i really don’t care for the Kennedy’s, so whatever to this, and no am not a republican
Dumbest casting decision.
NO, I think this is terrible casting!! Tom is the better actor, he could pull it off more easily.
Oh, no even close…
Well if she’s got the chops to pull it off, it will be a major breakthrough for her.
But Jackie’s power will be enormously difficult to portray. She was an enigma. Sort of like Grace Kelly. They are simultaneously cool, remote, aloof yet they convey a raging sexuality just beneath the surface.
Very potent mix.
So sad that Crazy Cruise bought his Kate another part. Seems the Turkey Baster thing for kid # 2 didn’t work…
It’s also sad that Katie can’t act, has no poise, no sense of style.
I have no idea why History Channel agreed to have her.
You are brilliant Kaiser. Anne would be PERFECT.
Katie Holmes’ fashion sense alone makes me cringe and shudder to hear her name mentioned in the same sentence as Jackie O. The truly sad part of this is I’ve heard plenty of stories that real-life Katie considers herself sort of a reincarnation of that kind of icon. Which makes me want to throw up.
That white dress with black lace in the first picture looks SO CHEAP. Did she buy it from Wal-Mart? Target has cuter dresses, better made. Katie every once in awhile has that sort of Polo-club arrogant confidence. We don’t see it so often anymore now that she’s being audited regularly… she might be able to pull it off if she works hard at the role. I just hope it doesn’t turn into JLoHew’s portrayal of Audrey Hepburn back in the 90s. That was BAD.
It’s official, Tom Cruise ruined Katie Holme’s career. She went from being a hot up and coming actress (Batman Begins, Thank you for smoking), to a glassy eyed scientology drone. And now she’s doing a tv movie for the History Channel! As if her bizarre song and dance routine on “So you think you can dance” wasn’t embarassing enough. Wow. How the not so mighty have fallen.
fun fact: katie designed that jumpsuit thingy shes wearing
This is a HORRIBLE decision. I think they need to rethink their choice. In my opinion, this is an insult to Jackie’s memory.
Ugh this is going to be awful.
I beg to differ that Katie was a hot up and coming attress. Are you kidding me? She cannot act at all. Tom did nothing to affect the fact that Katie cannot act. He may have turned her into a Stepford Wife, but that is all.
@nAynAy I know its hard to believe, but there was a time when Katie was a very buzzed about actress. Most people thought that she was going to be a big star after Dawsons Creek. She’d received a lot of critical acclaim, from several indie films (The Ice Storm, Pieces of April). And many people expected her to really break through after Batman Begins. Which she probably would have if not for the insane ravings of the keebler elf she married.
Agreed on Katie’s limited skills. I like the girl well enough and don’t think she’s the worst Hollywood has to offer and admit she’s matured, but yo. She’s not that believable as a grown woman. Got close in Batman Begins and Thank You for Smoking, but not enough to play Jackie.
Are they planning on casting a Teddy? Because Jonny Lee Miller would be awesome!
Forgot to mention another quality that makes both Jackie and Grace hard to portray.
They were raised to be ladies in an era when the old aristocracy still brought up their daughters according to a very rigid set of rules that are as archaic, today, as the dodo bird.
But, unless you’ve been raised that way, soaked it up with your mother’s milk, I think it’s hard to play it with authenticity.
But that’s the key to a really good performance, that combination of untouchable, ladylike elegance and sizzling sexuality .
That’s what makes for an icon. And icons are few and far between.
Anne Hathway is trying too hard to be a good “actress”. Everything I see her in a movie, I want to look away from the screen.
Katie Homes is actually a good choice in a weird way because she knows what it is like to put a public facade to disguise your real life. She also has the taste of luxury like Jackie Kennedy.
Anyway, personally I always think Jackie Kennedy is an overrated beauty. People think she is classy nowadays is because they have no chances to hear how she speaks in real life. She looks well-dressed and all smiling in black-and-white “photos.” Maybe she is a boring person in reality.
I do see a slight resemblance, but beyond that I think this is a mistake.
I don’t believe Katie has the acting ability to portray an icon like Jackie. The only thing I ever really liked Katie in was Pieces of April, but beyond that, she’s been the weak link in almost everything else, and probably will be here too.
I disagree, I am not a Katie fan, but I think on the surface it appears to be a great casting choice. The resemblance is strong, and with the right styling and makeup Katie could really look like Jackie. Jill Hennessey is a little too old now, and I think Katie looks more like Jackie than her anyway. And Anne Hathaway? Um, sorry, but no way! That would not be a good choice. Other than having dark hair, I don’t see a resemblance. And why would she have to lose weight to play Jackie? She’s pretty darn thin already!
As much as I really like Greg Kinnear, and aside from the fact that he does have the acting chops, I think he’s a little too old to be playing JFK. He’s exactly the same age JFK was when he died, 46. I guess they’ll be using de-aging makeup for the earlier years. I hate when they do that, but I will be curious to see how this whole thing turns out.
It’s the latter. I look at her and I see XENU, not Jacqueline. And XENU will be seen throughout the film too. There’s no way anyone can disassociate her from XENU ever.
this is going to be unwatchable.
Emily Blunt came to mind but I still think Hathaway would be better. I love Greg Kinnear though.
No.
I always thought the perfect person to cast for the part would be Julia Ormond, although she’s probably considered too old now. She did just play the Back Bay mother of Temple Grandin in HBO’s film and she fit the part to a T.
LOVE Jackie O – LOVE Katie Ho – SO HAPPY!
@ Raven
I absolutely loved Julia Ormond in that movie. She was so very moving.
But probably too old to play Jackie now.
On topic…cannot stand Katie or her acting. Too bad, this I something I would totally see.
I actually think this is a great call. The resemblance is strong and I think they share an aristocratic aloofness. People always seem to forget that she had a career before she was married. Her tiny husband does not need to buy her roles. She was far easier to watch in Batman than Maggie Gyllenhaal, who thinks smirking = acting.
Kaiser, you’re right. I don’t think Katie has the presence necessary to portray Jackie. Ann Hathaway would be a MUCH better choice. I too am totally facinated with Jackie, this mini series will probably not do justice and suck.
Okay now I am the one going to get stoned but I think Katie can pull this off.
Has anyone else seen the movie “The Gift”?
Cate Blanchett starred in it. Katie Holmes was the rich, icy, society, bitchy girl… who was screwing everyone but her fiancee.
Where off all things, Greg Kinnear was her fiancee, in The Gift.
I loved the movie.
Keanu Reeves played the crazy redneck. The only weak actress in it was Hillary Swank. (Whom I think is the most over rated actress)
Anywho… Katie was great in that film. And I believe she has a good chance of being a believable Jackie.
Physically, I think this is a good choice, far, far better than Anne Hathaway would have been. I just don’t get the adoration so many women have for her looks/acting ability. Unusual looking, yes. Striking, yes. Beautiful? Not so much. And overrated as an actress… Rachel Getting Married was downright painful to watch for me.
As for Katie, I don’t know if I’ve ever actually watched anything she’s been in.
I wonder how much the house of Tom had to pay for her to get this role? She is just not a good actress.
Maybe she’ll get herself a good acting coach and pull it off, who knows? I think facially she looks kind of similar so I can see why they cast her- on looks alone though.
Hmmm…not a bad choice. Maybe the fact that I’m not a Jackie fan makes me more accepting.
I can actually see her doing a decent job in this role. I love Greg Kinnear and think he will nail JFK. I keep remembering Katie in this indie film–Pieces of April, I think. It was awesome and she was great in it as a troubled young woman. That’s the best acting I’ve seen from her. But she’s not entirely hopeless as an actress.
Anne Hathaway would rock and she would not have to lose weight! ARE YOU NUTS?!
Appropriately, Kennedy means “ugly head”.
No. No. No. This one has $$$ signs all over it (TC bought & paid for it). IMO Katie who is cute and physically resembles JK does not have the acting ability to convey strength, intelligence and appearing to be submissive and aristocratic all at the same time. Jackie was very complex. Poor zombie Katie.
SHE’LL BE PERFECT FOR THE PART. SHE’S DEFINITELY GOT THE RIGHT LOOK TO PLAY JACKIE. I THINK SHE CAN PULL IT OFF.
Yuck. Katie is an ok actress, but doesn’t have the chops.
I always thought Selma Blair (from Legally Blonde) resembles Jackie Kennedy in a way. She doesn’t have as much name recognition, which is the only reason Katie Holmes got the part.
At least give her the chance. She has been a very decent actress in many TV/Film roles in the past. So she married Tom Cruise. If they weren’t so famous, no one would care. Why do people rag on him for loving his wife so much, anyway. Seems extremely sweet to me. Leave this couple alone and let them continue to flourish in their respective careers.
it’s a damb shame that JULIA ORMOND does not look the way she did when she made the 1995 remake of Sabrina because she’d be FRICKING PEEEEERRRRFECT to play Jackie Kennedy!!! Again, Julia Ormond from Sabrina, very Jackie Kennedy, the way she looked on her wedding day to JFK!!!