Singer cameo in "Milk"?

email this story
read comments (12)
post a comment

It's commonly known that Valkyrie director Bryan Singer had wanted to direct the long-in-development Harvey Milk biopic called The Mayor of Castro Street for producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, based on a revised script by Chris McQuarrie. But as Variety's Anne Thompson reported two or three weeks ago, that project has been abandoned. Zadan and/or Meron confirmed this during a producer's panel at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Thompson has told me.

Now comes an item in the Portland-area publication Willamette Week that Gus Van Sant, director of as currently-rolling Harvey Milk biopic called Milk, has "extended an 'olive branch' to Singer by enticing him to make a cameo appearance in the film, which has Sean Penn in the title role. When asked to confirm, Van Sant said he had his fingers crossed that Singer will join his cast. 'We hope so,' Van Sant told WW in between takes on the San Francisco set. 'He said that he will, but scheduling is hard.'

Nader's Unforgivable Sin<< previous | next >>Third & Final...No More!

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 27, 2008 at 9:38 AM

comment #1

frankbooth says ...

He can appear in a Starfleet uniform and kill two birds with one stone.

Posted by frankbooth at February 27, 2008 10:31 AM

comment #2

frankbooth says ...

That's not a slam, by the way. It's just kinda sad that even a guy with his level of success keeps getting scooped on his pet projects.

But I'm sure he'll live.

Posted by frankbooth at February 27, 2008 10:37 AM

comment #3

Edward says ...

I'm assuming, maybe incorrectly, that MILK will be a return to a more mainstream style. Although it'd be much more interesting if Van Sant makes an unconventional biopic.

Posted by Edward at February 27, 2008 10:49 AM

comment #4

DavidF says ...

Singer already did the Star Trek cameo thing.

Overall this just seems....um...uninteresting. Van Sant offered Singer a cameo? So what...

Posted by DavidF at February 27, 2008 11:12 AM

comment #5

corey3rd says ...

The interesting part is what sort of cameo will it be? Singer at a bathhouse? Singer at a Tenderloin peep booth? Singer at the disco playing a singer? Or Singer just sitting in the audience at a city hall meeting?

Posted by corey3rd at February 27, 2008 11:30 AM

comment #6

raygo says ...

It's Van Sant looking to get in Singer's pants is what it is. Hello?

Posted by raygo at February 27, 2008 11:50 AM

comment #7

Josh says ...

What is a movie that won't make any money?

This movie.

God forbid some studio greenlighting 2 of them

Posted by Josh at February 27, 2008 12:22 PM

comment #8

MikeSchaeferSF says ...

If the reviews are good enough, and the budget low enough, it will make money. The gay audience alone, while not a slam dunk, will turn out for something they feel vested in (as Brokeback showed). A blockbuster? No. A tidy profit? Very likely.

Posted by MikeSchaeferSF at February 27, 2008 12:47 PM

comment #9

Edward says ...

Why should a Van Sant film appeal to just a gay audience? I was deeply moved my Brokeback and have loved much of Van Sant's work. Drug Store Cowboy, Elephant to name just two are terrific films.

Posted by Edward at February 27, 2008 1:11 PM

comment #10

gruver1 says ...

Wells to Mike Schaefer: "The Times of Harvey Milk", the original 1983 doc, is one of the most moving docs ever made. It makes me choke up every time I see it. If Van Sant can get hold of some of this, the appeal will be much, much wider than just urban gays.

Posted by gruver1 at February 27, 2008 4:52 PM

comment #11