Casting the 'John Edwards' movie: Top six suggestions

Best-selling John Edwards exposé "The Politician" may soon become a feature film. Who should play the disgraced Democrat?

John Edwards has a "striking" physique, according to a source who claims to have seen the former presidential candidate's sex tape.
(Image credit: Corbis)

So much for John Edwards' image rehab: The Politician, the Edwards' tell-all written by former aide Andrew Young, may soon be adapted for the big screen. Young recently signed with Hollywood "superagent" Ari Emaneul and new reports indicate that West Wing scribe Aaron Sorkin may pen the screenplay. The blogosphere weighs in on the burning (if premature) question: Who should portray the precisely coiffed, onetime "presidential" cheater:

1. Tom Cruise

Nobody's a better fit, says Ravi Somaiya in Gawker, than Tom Cruise, "who can channel his years of experience as a good-looking man with shiny hair and a slightly creepy demeanour to good effect."

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2. Dennis Quaid

New York magazine's Adam K. Raymond suggests that Dennis Quaid could bring a certain conviction to highlighting Edwards' "sleaze bag" qualities.

3. Jack McBrayer

In a pick that seems to be justified almost entirely by haircut parallels, The Daily Beast nominates fellow Southerner Jack McBrayer, aka "Kenny the Page" on NBC's 30 Rock.

4. Brad Pitt

While "Tom Cruise is ideal to play Edwards," says Sasha Stone in Awards Daily, Brad Pitt "could pull it off" if he could master a sufficiently smooth Southern accent to embody the role.

5. Matt Damon

Casting Matt Damon as Edwards "would be perfect," says Hollywood Life senior editor Corynne Steindler. "Not only does the coloring match up," but Damon would have no problems believably mimicking John Edwards' charm.

6. Aaron Eckhart

If you want to "keep it serious with the typecasting," says Jo Piazza in Pop Eater, go with Aaron Eckhart — he "could really nail the Edwards-esque smirk."