Tom Hanks To Play Mister Rogers in Upcoming Biopic 'You Are My Friend'
Tom Hanks has been confirmed to portray Fred Rogers, commonly known as Mister Rogers, in an upcoming biopic titled "You Are My Friend."
TriStar Pictures will distribute the upcoming movie worldwide, which will be produced by Big Beach, and it has been confirmed in a recent news release that Hanks had already signed on to take the role of Rogers.
The director of "The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Marielle Heller, was also confirmed to helm the upcoming movie. Joining Heller in the production team are Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster who will be writing the screenplay, while Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, and Youree Henley are attached to the movie as producers. Meanwhile, Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster will also take executive producer credits along with Leah Holzer.
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TriStar Pictures also confirmed that the movie's plot was inspired "by a real-life friendship" between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. The latter wrote a well-thought profile piece of Rogers for Esquire magazine that was originally published in 1998 and titled "Can You Say...Hero?"
Details of the movie are still under wraps but TriStar Pictures has hinted that the film will offer a "heart-warming story" describing Junod as a "cynical journalist" who reluctantly accepts the task of writing about Rogers. As seen in its brief synopsis, the movie will feature how working with Rogers personally changed Junod's outlook in life.
In a statement, Heller said: "I'm thrilled to be making You Are My Friend. The script knocked me out with its message of kindness and its exploration of the human spirit. As a mother, I am so inspired by the teachings of Fred Rogers and as a human I am in awe of his life's work."
Heller also expressed her excitement in working on "You Are My Friend," noting that the project gives her the chance to work with "thoughtful, smart group of people."
There is no given timeline yet for the movie's release but TriStar Pictures confirmed that production will begin in fall.
