George Clooney Courting Ryan Gosling for “Farragut North”

Despite earlier reports that George Clooney was hoping to get Chris Pine to reprise lead role from the stage version of the political thriller "Farragut North," it now appears that the role will go to another young star.

Ryan Gosling is in Clooney's cross-hairs for the role of Stephen, the up-ad-coming political operative at the center of "Farragut North, according to Deadline.

"Farragut North" (named for the Washington DC metro station closest to the hub of lobbying in our nation's capitol) was written by Beau Willimon, who based the story loosely on his experiences working on Howard Dean's run for president in 2004. Here's the synopsis from the 2009 Geffen Playhouse production:

Set against the backdrop of a close presidential race, Stephen is a young press secretary working for a fast-rising candidate. With confidence and power beyond his years, he’s convinced that he and seasoned campaign manager, Paul, can steer their team into the west wing without breaking a sweat. But before the polls close at the primaries, Stephen’s perceived invincibility is shattered as he falls prey to backroom politics, the manipulations of veteran operatives and the wiles of a seductive young intern. With quick-witted banter and an inside look into the world of politics, Farragut North is a timely tale of hubris, loyalty and the lust for power.

The same reports that had Pine in the lead role had Clooney hoping to cast Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Paul, Paul Giamatti as the manager of a rival candidate, Evan Rachel Wood as the "seductive young intern," and Marisa Tomei as an investigative journalist.

Gosling's next film, "Blue Valentine," in which he stars Michelle Williams, comes out around Christmas, positioning the stars, the film and the writer-director for a run at the Oscars. We caught this film at Sundance and loved it.

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