It's official: HBO Max's West Wing reunion special casts Sterling K. Brown as Leo
Aux Features The West Wing
Aaron Sorkin may not have Sterling K. Brown playing the president just yet, but we finally know what the This Is Us actor was doing on the set of the West Wing reunion special in September. The A.V. Club was the first outlet to make note of Brown’s presence on set, but it was unclear if Brown had stopped by to perform a role in the reading; film an act-break bit like Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton, and Lin-Manuel Miranda will participate in; or just say hi. (Though, with COVID-19, we at least knew the chances of the latter were slim.) Now we can report with certainty that Brown will be reading the role of Chief of Staff Leo McGarry on the special, which premieres on Oct. 15 on HBO Max.
The role of Leo was played on the NBC political drama by actor John Spencer until his death in 2005. While Spencer’s death was written into the show, the episode that the cast will be reading on the reunion special is season three’s “Hartsfield’s Landing.” While much of “Hartsfield’s Landing” deals with Donna (Janel Moloney) and Josh (Bradley Whitford) trying to solidify New Hampshire primary votes and President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) playing chess games with Sam (Rob Lowe) and Toby (Richard Schiff), Leo is at the President’s side in the Situation Room for war games the administration is trying to tamp down in the Taiwan Strait.
Brown, Moloney, Whitford, Sheen, Lowe, and Schiff will be joined for the reading by Allison Janney and Dulé Hill while other supporting cast members (including William Duffy and Peter James Smith who played Ed and Larry, respectively…or was it the other way around?).
Helmed by series director and executive producer Thomas Schlamme, A West Wing Special To Benefit When We All Vote brings back the entire cast for the first time in 17 years. In addition to the act-break guests mentioned above, there will be a performance by composer W.G. Snuffy Walden, who will play the score for The West Wing theme song on his guitar. Folk-rock band The Avett Brothers will also close out the special, which is intended to raise awareness of When We All Vote, an organization dedicated to increasing participation in American elections.
Remember to make your voting plan ASAP. And while you’re at it, fill out your census form.
20 Comments
The West Wing is the last thing the left needs. It’s a romanization of neoliberallism that’s been the bedrock of how the Democratic leadership has been operating since Carter lost where civility is more important than getting shit done and compromise means giving in to all of the right’s demands.
Just a small, trivial correction: “While Sorkin wrote Spencers death into the show” -Sorkin had left the show 3 years prior. Then showrunner, John Wells, is who actually wrote Spencers death into the show.
I get recasting a role for an ongoing show or a revival if a cast member dies, but recasting a role for a table reading of a previously produced script just seems kind of tasteless. Also, can we please stop with the fucking table readings? Especially for dramas. There’s entertainment value to be had by getting a bunch of comedians together in a room, but who is actually clamoring to watch a bunch of people sit at a table and re-tread Sorkin’s trademark “what stupid people think smart people speaking sounds like” dialogue. Dulé, though, he’s cool. He can do what he wants.
I don’t remember where I saw it (maybe playbill or variety), but I think this is being stages as a play. I don’t know if that is better or not but it is different.
It looks like you’re right. I guess that’s better, although I still don’t get why you’d rehash an already produced script rather than just write something new and set it during the show’s run.
“I still don’t get why you’d rehash an already produced script rather than just write something new and set it during the show’s run.”
That’s because you’re dumb.
That’s why I think they should do the episode where CJ gets a root canal and Josh has to do the press briefing and it all goes to hell. It’s one of the lighter comedic episodes.
I think you mean “woot canaw”.
WOO CANAW!
“I get recasting a role for an ongoing show or a revival if a cast member dies, but recasting a role for a table reading of a previously produced script just seems kind of tasteless.”
Oh, fuck off.
Well, they tried the zombie John Spencer route, but it didn’t work.
So what are you advocating for? They should’ve just left big blank spaces where Spencer’s dialogue should have been? I have to say as an actor that your take is truly dumb.
Clearly, they should exhume John Spencer for a table read.
Considering how often the show has been called a power fantasy, I think it’s weird that a lot of progressives now seem to think it’s not enough of a power fantasy.
Says Dino Ironbody: Defender of Blackface and TERFs
I was wondering where Laserface has been; on Thursday there was a Newswire about J.J. Abrams and Laserface didn’t even comment just to bring up “Palpatine fucks.”
‘While Sorkin wrote Spencers death into the show…’ Sorkin left the show after the fourth season, a couple of years before John Spencer died. People just discovering the show should know that before blaming Sorkin for the god-awful Season 5.
Sorkin didn’t write Leo’s death into the show. That was in Season 7 after Sorkin left the show in Season 4.
Like the Parks and Recreation promotional stunt, being only on Comcast’s Peacock channel makes me care a lot less about this stunt. I am a ‘yuge’ fan of both shows, but I can live without this transparent plug for Peacock. If Sorkin and all the great people involved with WW were really serious and dedicated about the “Vote” thing, they’d insist that it be on broadcast NBC, or walk.
My third favorite episode after, of course, Two Cathedrals and In Excelsis Deo.