The Butler (2013)

Director:

Lee Daniels

Writers:

Wil Haygood (article) and
Lee Daniels (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

16 August 2013 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

A look at the life of Cecil Gains who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Newspaper Article

Status:

Post-production | See complete list of 25,800 in-production titles »

Status Updated:

12 April 2013

More Info:

See more production information about The Butler (2013) only on IMDbPro.

Note:

Because this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change; some data could be removed completely.

Cast

John Cusack	...	Richard Nixon
Robin Williams	...	Dwight Eisenhower
Alex Pettyfer	...	Thomas Westfall
Alan Rickman	...	Ronald Reagan
James Marsden	...	John F. Kennedy
Minka Kelly	...	Jackie Kennedy
Terrence Howard	...	Howard
Jesse Williams	...	Rev. James Lawson
Forest Whitaker	...	Cecil Gaines
Liev Schreiber	...	Lyndon B. Johnson
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Carter Wilson
Melissa Leo	...	Mamie Eisenhower
Jane Fonda	...	Nancy Reagan
David Oyelowo	...	Louis Gaines
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Annabeth Westfall
Mariah Carey	...	Hattie Pearl
Lenny Kravitz	...	James Holloway
Oprah Winfrey	...	Gloria Gaines
Nelsan Ellis	...	Martin Luther King Jr.
Colin Walker	...	John Ehrlichman
Aml Ameen	...	Young Cecil
Yaya Alafia	...	Carol Hammie
Dana Gourrier	...	Helen Holloway (as Dana Michelle Gourrier)
Xosha Roquemore	...	Foxy
Orlando Eric Street	...	President Barack Obama
Michael Rainey Jr.	...	Cecil - 8 yrs
David Jensen	...	MacGeorge Bundy
David Banner	...	Earl Gaines
Joe Chrest	...	White Usher
James DuMont	...	Sherman Adams
Mo McRae	...	Eldridge Huggins
Stephen Rider	...	Admiral Rochon
Alex Manette	...	H.R. Haldeman
John L. Armijo	...	Eisenhowers Military Adviser
Pernell Walker	...	Lorraine
Nealla Gordon	...	Senator Nancy Kassebaum
Joshua Braud	...	Josh
Philippe Radelet	...	Houseman
Tarra Riggs	...	Sophie Wilson
Colman Domingo	...	Freddie Fallows
Marco St. John	...	Chief Justice Warren Burger
Elton LeBlanc	...	Admiral, US Navy
Jim Gleason	...	R.D. Warner
Starlette Miariaunii	...	College Student
Aaron Saxton	...	Prison Guard
Haylie Creppel	...	White House Child
Kay Smith	...	Diane Nash
Edward J. Clare	...	Two Star General
Donna Duplantier	...	Barbara Gaines
Dean J. West	...	White House Reporter
Ray Gaspard	...	Pat Buchanan
Rex Baker	...	Protester
Corrina Roshea	...	White House Guest
John P. Fertitta	...	Loud Patron
Sam Malone	...	Young Abraham
Ross P. Cook	...	Embassy Protester
Justin Gant	...	Diner Attacker
Tom Cain	...	Arresting Officer
Isaac White	...	Charlie
Wanda Leigh	...	Lady Bird Johnson
Joseph Uzzell	...	Angry Mob Member
Jon Arthur	...	BET Videographer
Guy Fernandez	...	Black Panther
Russell M. Haeuser	...	Redneck Bar Patron
LaJessie Smith	...	Kid Abraham
John R Mangus	...	Mississippi Jail Guard
Blake Burt	...	Protester
Markeith Coleman	...	Prisoner
Renato Powell	...	Kitchen Chef
Donna Hubbs	...	1930's Lady Served Martini
Craig Tate	...	Hobo
Duane Cothren	...	Military Social Aide
Ethan Martin	...	Lawson Student
Jim Sojka	...	White House Engineer
Robert Aberdeen	...	Attorney Gen. Herbert Brownell
Dorian Morrison	...	Rioter
Shirley Tregre	...	Mob Woman
Darryl Perrilloux	...	Washington DC Rioter
Tyler Gibbs	...	Jim counter mgr
Justin Edward Davis	...	Pool Teenager
Chloe Barach	...	Caroline Kennedy
Karli Willis	...	Pool Teenager
Monicah Owino	...	Church Congregation Member
Michael Whitener	...	Supporting
Carroll Burt	...	Man At Water Fountain
Rahsaana Ison	...	Woman in Waiting Room
Jonathan Aaron Butler	...	College Student (uncredited)
Robin Lee Canode	...	D.C. Bus Station Arriving Passenger (uncredited)
Adrienne Esteen	...	Protestor (uncredited)
A. Michelle Harleston	...	D.C. Bus Station Passengers Parent (uncredited)
Rodney Hebert	...	White House Engineer (uncredited)
Mark Joyce	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Chaz Smith	...	Reagan Reception Attendee (uncredited)
Jason Stanly	...	Reagan Marine Color Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Lee Daniels

Writing credits
Wil Haygood		(article "A Butler Well Served by This Election")
Lee Daniels		screenplay
Danny Strong		screenplay

Produced by
Horatio Bacon	....	associate producer
Julia Barry	....	co-producer
Len Blavatnik	....	executive producer
Charles Sauveur Bonan	....	co-executive producer
James T. Bruce IV	....	executive producer
Lee Daniels	....	producer
Elizabeth Destro	....	executive producer
Cassian Elwes	....	producer
Eric Falkenstein	....	associate producer
Michael Finley	....	executive producer
Allen Frederic	....	co-executive producer
Manos Gavras	....	associate producer
Aviv Giladi	....	executive producer
Adonis Hadjiantonas	....	executive producer
Wil Haygood	....	associate producer
Andrew Herwitz	....	associate producer
Valerie Hoffman	....	co-producer
Vince Holden	....	executive producer
David Jacobson	....	co-producer
Brett Johnson	....	executive producer
Sheila Johnson	....	executive producer
Jordan Kessler	....	executive producer
Kim Leadford	....	co-executive producer
Harry I. Martin Jr.	....	co-executive producer
Adam Merims	....	executive producer
Christina Papagjika	....	associate producer
Buddy Patrick	....	producer
Ari Daniel Pinchot	....	co-executive producer
David Ranes	....	executive producer
Jonathan Rubenstein	....	co-executive producer
Bobby Sain	....	associate producer
Matthew Salloway	....	executive producer
Hilary Shor	....	executive producer
Earl W. Stafford	....	executive producer
Danny Strong	....	executive producer
Pamela Oas Williams	....	producer (as Pam Williams)
R. Bryan Wright	....	executive producer
Laura Ziskin	....	producer

Cinematography by
Andrew Dunn

Film Editing by
Joe Klotz

Casting by
Leah Daniels
Billy Hopkins

Production Design by
Tim Galvin

Art Direction by
Lori Agostino
Erik Polczwartek
Jason Baldwin Stewart

Set Decoration by
Diane Lederman

Costume Design by
Ruth E. Carter

Makeup Department
Dana Boisseau	....	hair stylist
Kelly Capoccia	....	lab technician
Daina Daigle	....	assistant hair stylist
Debra Denson	....	makeup department head
Debra Denson	....	makeup designer
Lee Grimes	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Courtney Lether	....	prosthetics makeup artist
Matthew W. Mungle	....	prosthetic makeup design and application
Candace Neal	....	hair department head
Douglas Noe	....	key prosthetic artist
Koji Ohmura	....	prosthetic key sculptor
Beverly Jo Pryor	....	makeup department head
LeDiedra Richard-Baldwin	....	makeup artist
Kellie Robinson	....	makeup artist
Yolanda Sheridan	....	key makeup artist
Robert L. Stevenson	....	head hairstylist
Aimee Stuit	....	prosthetics makeup assistant
Clinton Wayne	....	prosthetic makeup designer
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker

Production Management
Gerry Robert Byrne	....	post-production supervisor
Adam Merims	....	unit production manager
Jen Wall	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Brown	....	additional second assistant director
Mark Brown	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Peter Dress	....	second assistant director
Anastacia C. Nemec	....	second second assistant director
Lisa C. Satriano	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Spencer J. Abadie	....	painter
Michael Arena	....	greensman
Shane Buckallew	....	lead plaster/staff shop supervisor
Eddie Burcham	....	set dresser
Jonathan Cappel	....	set dresser: reshoots
John B. Clarey III	....	foreman
Todd Clevenger	....	paint foreman
Randall S. Coe	....	construction coordinator
Gus Coto	....	leadman
Michael Dares	....	set dresser
Stephen P. Durante	....	set dresser
Ryan Martin Dwyer	....	set dresser
Will Eastin	....	graphic designer
Nicholas Ellerbee	....	carpenter
Sarah Forrest	....	set designer
L. Sonia Garcia	....	paint gangboss
Michelle C. Harmon	....	set designer
John Herbert	....	paint supervisor
Roger Johnson	....	graphic designer
Daniel E. Kiker	....	painter
Kevin Ladson	....	property master
Kristin Lekki	....	graphic artist
Austin T. LeValley	....	on-set greensman
Ken Lewis Jr.	....	plasterer
Jordan Lightner	....	set dresser
John Lindsay	....	greensman
Sam Lothridge	....	on-set dresser
Steve Martemucci	....	construction foreman
Kimberly Murphy	....	set dec buyer
Jessica Navran	....	set decorator: additional photography
Noel Rideout	....	prop assistant
Blake Roussel	....	utility technician
George Sanchez	....	plasterer gang boss
Sian C. Sanzone	....	painter
Carlos Savant	....	staff shop foreman
Robin Simmerly	....	art department coordinator
Deanna Simmons	....	set decoration buyer
Garin Sparks	....	constructor
Cydney Tucker	....	clearances coordinator
Brian A. Waits	....	set designer
Niko Zahlten	....	prop assistant
Tony Ziegler	....	set dresser
Chris Craine	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Kyle S. Plowden	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve C. Aaron	....	additional sound mixer
Dan Izen	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Daniel Kuzila	....	sound utility: additional photography
Erik Magnus	....	sound mixer: additional photography
Jay Meagher	....	sound mixer
Michael Piotrowski	....	boom operator
James Eck Rippie	....	boom operator (second unit)
Debby VanPoucke	....	sound designer
Jared Watt	....	boom operator: additional photography

Special Effects by
Edward Joubert	....	special effects technician
Brad Manis	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Jordan Alphonso	....	digital compositor
Daniel Cohen	....	visual effects producer
Jacob Kebodeaux	....	visual effects artist
Ted Markovic	....	visual effects producer
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor/producer
Patrick Paul Mullane	....	matte painter: pixel magic
Aniela Sidorska	....	visual effects producer
Jonathan Skabla	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Sean Paul Braud	....	stunts
Jeff Brockton	....	stunt performer
Scheryl W Brown	....	stunt double: Yaya DaCosta
Jay Caputo	....	stunt performer
Alex Coker	....	stunt performer
Danny Cosmo	....	stunt player
Kurt Deville	....	stunt performer
Danny Epper	....	stunt performer
Nick Epper	....	stunts
Chris J. Fanguy	....	stunt performer
Guy Fernandez	....	stunt performer
Jeff Galpin	....	stunt coordinator
Tyler Galpin	....	stunt performer
Justin Gant	....	stunt performer
Lex D. Geddings	....	additional stunt coordinator
Casey Hendershot	....	stunt performer
Floyd Anthony Johns Jr.	....	stunt performer
Nito Larioza	....	utility stunts
Kortney Manns	....	stunt double: David Oyelowo
Aaron Matthews	....	stunt performer
Ian Mclaughlin	....	water safety
Travis Merindino	....	stunt performer
David Andrew Nash	....	stunts
Carl Anthony Nespoli	....	stunt performer
Holly O'Quin	....	stunt performer
Meredith Richardson	....	stunt performer
Mike Seal	....	stunts
Maria Sova	....	stunt performer
Larnell Stovall	....	stunts
Matt Thompson	....	stunts
Tierre Turner	....	stunts
Kevin Waterman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Joshua Anderson	....	additional rigging electrician
Troy Anderson	....	additional rigging electric
Grayson Austin	....	B camera operator
Grayson Austin	....	Steadicam operator
Hans Bjerno	....	aerial director of photography
Scott Calcagno	....	rigging best boy: reshoots
Michael Charbonnet	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Kenneth Coblentz	....	dolly grip: Additional Unit
Duane Cooper	....	rigging best boy grip
Larry Cottrill	....	balloon lighting technician
Corey Erwin	....	rigging electrician
Kevin Fannon	....	grip
Anne Marie Fox	....	still photographer
Carter Lee Garrett	....	lighting technician
Hilton Garrett	....	best boy grip
Tyler Garrett	....	grip
Brad Garris	....	electrician: day player
Mike Grace	....	rigging electrician
Nicholas Groetsch	....	video utility
John C. Hoffler Jr.	....	additional film loader
Richard Lacy	....	first assistant camera
King Lanaux	....	rigging key grip
Ronnie LeBlanc	....	rigging electric (as Ronald Leblanc)
Len Levine	....	chief lighting technician
Joshua Lilly	....	additional electrician
Joshua Lilly	....	second unit lighting technician
Luis Lopez DeVictoria	....	additional camera operator
Raul J. Marin	....	rigging grip
Bradley Martin	....	additional lighting technician
Michael C. McCullough II	....	additional video assist operator: additional photography
Mason McGuire	....	additional lamp operator
Dan McKee	....	film loader
Aeron McKeough	....	second assistant camera
Robert Morrison	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Josh Oliver	....	rigging electrician
Jerone A. Ordon Sr.	....	grip
Jason Prowell	....	generator operator
Jonathan E. Robinson	....	second assistant "a" camera
Derek A. Schwebel	....	video assist
Marcus Stanley	....	dimmer board operator
Shawn Stone	....	rigging grip
Michael Stumpf	....	"a" camera operator: re-shoots
Michael Stumpf	....	additional camera operator: main unit
Michael Stumpf	....	steadicam operator: re-shoots
Chad Taylor	....	film loader: second unit
Jeffery J. Tufano	....	camera operator: a camera
John Vinson	....	rigging grip
Ben Wachsmann	....	rigging grip
Amanda Warning	....	rigging electrician
Kristopher Weaver	....	lighting technician
Jeremy Webre	....	dolly grip
Jordan Whaley	....	additional lighting technician
Alexander B. Williams	....	video assist
Andy Young	....	grip

Casting Department
Robin Batherson	....	extras casting coordinator
Kacee Devoe	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Ashley Ingram	....	casting assistant: New York
Meagan Lewis	....	location casting: New Orleans
Christopher Stoudt	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kasey C. Bazil	....	costumer: Mr. Whitaker
Malikka Coston	....	key fitter
Annette Farnsworth	....	set costumer
Mollie Gates	....	costumer
Dana Kay Hart	....	costume supervisor
Seth M. Johnson	....	costume production assistant (as Seth Johnson)
Jennifer Kamrath	....	principal set costumer
Barbara Marko	....	costumer
Mustapha Mimis	....	key set costumer
Misti Moreaux	....	costumer
Melissa Reed	....	costumer
Carmen L. Rodrigues	....	costume coordinator
Janet Marie Ross	....	costumer
Janet Marie Ross	....	set costumer
Paul A. Simmons Jr.	....	key costumer
Laura Faye Sirkin-Brown	....	seamstress
Wendy Talley	....	costume supervisor
Haik Tateossian	....	fabric dyer & printer
Jen Wasson	....	shopper
Lesley D. Wickham	....	ager/dyer

Editorial Department
Kat Spiess	....	first assistant editor
Tim Stipan	....	digital intermediate colorist

Music Department
Lynn Fainchtein	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Donald Dibartolo	....	driver
Darrell Dumestre	....	picture cars
Lionel C. Johnson	....	driver
Gregory 'Stepper' Jones	....	driver: honeywagon
Aaron Pigg	....	production van driver/generator operator

Other crew
Joaquin Aragon	....	assistant location manager: additional photography
Maxwell Berry	....	location production assistant
Alex Lee Bonner	....	production assistant: DC unit
Sean Bredbenner	....	set production assistant: Washington DC
Christian Brown	....	production assistant
Kris Butler	....	medic
Lisa M. Calhoun	....	production assistant
Erika Canchola	....	financial legal services
Angie Conners	....	international marketing
Trang Dang	....	assistant production coordinator
John R.C. Davis	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Brittney Diez	....	production assistant
Jessica Drake	....	dialect coach: prep
Frank Duffy	....	location coordinator
Charlie French	....	locations
Evan Gabriele	....	assistant location manager
Jillian Gallant	....	production assistant
Jillian Gallant	....	stand-in for oprah winfrey
Jeff Galpin	....	head animal trainer
Bryan Gardiner	....	assistant production coordinator: additional photography
Laurie Gershon	....	clearance supervisor
Ryan Gomez	....	first assistant accountant
Shane Grady	....	hand double: Liev Schreiber
Shane Grady	....	stand-in: Liev Schreiber
Deborah Harpur	....	production resources
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach: Forest Whitaker
Michael S. Jones	....	location scout
Chris Kibler	....	construction accountant
Ashlee Kilchrist	....	production assistant
Stephen Kinigopoulos	....	production assistant
Mickey Lambert	....	co-location manager
John Landers	....	craft service
Carl Lawson	....	production secretary
Yana Collins Lehman	....	post production accountant
E. Cameron Lewis	....	office production assistant
Danielle Loosemore	....	second assistant accountant: wrap
Jakel Marshall	....	stand-in
Virginia McCollam	....	location manager
Mark Miller	....	payroll accountant
Mary Anne Olinsky	....	production assistant
Jason Derrick Ousley	....	additional set dressings
Chantel Passantino	....	second assistant accountant (as Chantel Forest)
Ashley Gwen Patrick	....	base camp production assistant: additional photography
Jacqui Popelka	....	production coordinator
Brie Puneky	....	cast assistant
Elsa Ramo	....	financial legal services
Irwin M. Rappaport	....	production attorney
Mike Revell	....	production accountant
Ryan Robison	....	cast assistant
Adam Ryan	....	key set medic
Tyler Samardick	....	assistant craft service
Ashley Renee Saunders	....	travel coordinator
Trevor Schliefer	....	background production assistant
Trevor Schliefer	....	background production assistant: reshoot
Trevor Schliefer	....	production assistant
Kelsey Schuyler	....	assistant post-production accountant
Jordan M. Sloane	....	intern: pre-production
Davida Smith	....	producer's assistant: Mr. Merims
Jordan Sudduth	....	stand-in
Scott Varnado	....	assistant: Mr. Daniels
Justin Christopher Vaughn	....	stand-in
Lauren Von Huene	....	production coordinator
Aaron V. Williamson	....	fitness professional
Debra Woods Kaufmann	....	key second accountant
Pete Cross	....	dialect coach: Minka Kelly (uncredited)
Chaz Smith	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Laura Ziskin Productions
• Salloway Rubenstein Productions
• Windy Hill Pictures

Distributors

• Aurum Producciones (2013) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Culture Convenience Club (CCC) (2013) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2013) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2013) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2013) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Hopscotch Films (2013) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2013) (France) (theatrical)
• Prokino Filmverleih (2013) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sun Distribution (2013) (Uruguay) (theatrical)
• Videa (2013) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Weinstein Company, The (2013) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tanweer Films (2013) (Bangladesh) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2013) (Bhutan) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2013) (India) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2013) (Nepal) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2013) (Pakistan) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2013) (Sri Lanka) (all media)

Special Effects

• Pixel Magic

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera car
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  hydrascope telescoping crane arm
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  stabilized remote camera systems
• Cineworks Digital Studios  HD dailies telecine transfer (as Cineworks, La.)
• Cineworks Digital Studios  digital dailies and grading (as Cineworks, La.)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Hollywood Trucks  Entertainment Transportation
• Inner Media  tax credit financing
• Pictorvision  Wescam aerial camera system
• Pivotal Post  Avid HD editing equipment provided by
• Quiet Light  funded in part by
• Silver Screen Supply  climate control
• Silver Screen Supply  entertainment transportation
• Silver Screen Supply  location services and rentals
• Silver Screen Supply  portable power systems and cables
• TM Motion Picture Equipment  grip and lighting equipment
• Three Point Capital  funding

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Laura Ziskin Productions

Trivia:

This is Oprah Winfrey's first on-screen film role since Beloved (1998) in which she does not play herself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Chelsea Lately: Episode #7.34" (2013)