Trivia for
W. (2008/I) More at IMDbPro »

• Josh Brolin prepared for his role as George W. Bush by telephoning hotels and talking to the people simply to hear the accent. He also watched videos of Bush to try and get the style of his walk right.
  
  
• Robert Duvall is rumored to have been considered for the role of Dick Cheney.
  
  
• Christian Bale was initially cast as George W. Bush, and even underwent weeks of prosthetics tests before filming began. However, he withdrew from the production at the last minute, prompting Oliver Stone to immediately look for a replacement. Josh Brolin was subsequently given the role following his notable performances in No Country for Old Men (2007) and American Gangster (2007).
  
  
• This movie was filmed sequentially. Josh Brolin lost a considerable amount of weight to play W. in his youth and had to quickly gain it back to play him middle-aged.
  
  
• According to James Cromwell (who plays George HW Bush'), 'Oliver Stone (I) originally offered the role to Warren Beatty and Harrison Ford. Interestingly, all three actors are known for their support of liberal political causes.
  
  
• When reciting the names of the fraternity brothers during his hazing, The second and third surnames of people he names are "Hill" and "Hotchkiss." Both Oliver Stone and James Cromwell attended the Hill School, whose principal rival was Hotchkiss School.
  
  
• Josh Brolin, who plays George W. Bush, is the son of James Brolin, who played Ronald Reagan in The Reagans (2003) (TV).
  
  
• Oliver Stone's son Sean Stone makes an appearance as one of the college boys.
  
  
• When W. enters the Oval Office at the end, there's a portrait of John Quincy Adams hanging above his head. Adams is the only other son of a former President to be elected President.
  
  
• A cut scene featured Michael Shannon as Arthur Blessitt, who first converted Bush to Born-Again Christianity.
  
  
• Was rushed into production in early 2008 after Oliver Stoneintended project Pinkville (2011) was abruptly canceled in late 2007 only two weeks before filming was to begin.
  
  
• Filmed in only 46 days.
  
  
• Filming during the middle of Summer in Louisiana meant that elaborate prosthetic makeup could not be used, due to fears the humidity would melt the actors' faces.
  
  
• Josh Brolin hosted "Saturday Night Live" (1975) the weekend the film opened, with Oliver Stone also making an appearance to promote the film. By ironic coincidence "Saturday Night Live: Josh Brolin/Adele (#34.5)" (2008) was the debut on the show of then Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, 17 days before the 2008 election.
  
  
• During the scene in which Bush is seen flying a naval jet on board the Aircraft Carrier, the show that broadcasts his incident is a political commentary program titled "Spin-Ball" which received both a Conservative and Liberal prospective. The show is actually a 'spoof' of the two highly rated and well known political commentary programs, "The O'Reilly Factor" (1996) on Fox News (hosted by Bill O'Reilly, known for his 'No Spin Zone" which broadcasts a more conservative viewpoint); and MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" (1997), which demonstrates a more liberal viewpoint.
  
  
• Ellen Burstyn appeared in The Exorcist (1973) with Lee J. Cobb, father of James Cromwell's wife, Julie Cobb.
  
  
• Ellen Burstyn and Jeffrey Wright share the same birthday. The two are never in the same scene together.
  
  
• Admiral Deborah Loewer, who was on Preasident Bush's detail the morning of 9/11, was the film's technical advisor.
  
  

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