Emilia Clarke to star in Joseph McCarthy biopic, and more stuff

Game of Thrones veteran Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) has scored another exciting project: according to Deadline, she’ll appear alongside Oscar nominee Michael Shannon in a biopic about Joseph McCarthy, the U.S. Senator who in the 1950s rode a wave of anti-Communist sentiment to become a populist demagogue behind a high-level campaign of baseless defamation and mudslinging. Shannon will play McCarthy himself, while Clarke will play his politically ambitious wife Jean Kerr.

The movie, which doesn’t have a name yet, will be directed by Václav Marhoul. “There are many countries around the world dealing with their own McCarthys right now and it is no surprise that a director who grew up behind the iron curtain should wish to lift the veil on McCarthy, the ultimate architect of populism,” said producer Gabrielle Stewart. “True stories are stranger than fiction, and Tom O’Connor’s screenplay is brilliantly researched, both shocking and entertaining, yet treats its villainous characters with true human complexity. Shannon is perfectly suited to inhabit the role of McCarthy and in Jean Kerr, our story’s very own Lady Macbeth, there’s a delicious role for Emilia Clarke.”

Between this and her role in Marvels Secret Invasion, Clarke’s star continues to rise. She nab that Emmy (and maybe an Oscar, who knows?) yet.

HBO is done filming Gentleman Jack season 2

Elsewhere, Gemma Whelan (Yara Greyjoy) announced on Instagram that HBO has wrapped on the second season of Gentleman Jack, a really good period series that I recommend if you haven’t watched it. Whelan plays Marian Lister, a somewhat reserved woman in 1930s England. Although the real star is Marian’s sister Anne Lister, an unapologetic lesbian and savvy businesswomen at a time when neither of those things were widely accepted.

“Well done team #gentlemanjack,” Whelan wrote. “@suranne_jones @sophiesophierundle we had such a blast, so sad not to join for the last leg but a small person came out of me!!! The most brilliant team, I hope we get to do it all again after a good long REST!”

Finally, Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei) has announced that she’ll be attending the Middle East Film & Comic Con next year — the fun starts March 3, 2022. Watch her message below:

And there will be more Game of Thrones celebrity news to come; there always is.

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