Actor Jeff Daniels is set to portray former FBI Director James Comey in a CBS miniseries about his time at the agency.
The upcoming limited series is based on Comey’s 2018 book, “A Higher Loyalty,” which discusses his time at the helm of the FBI, TVLine reported Monday. Daniels, 64, is known for his role in the 1994 comedy “Dumb and Dumber.”
“Jeff is so perfect for this part,” the project’s screenwriter, Billy Ray, said in a statement to TVLine.
“Great actor, instant integrity, loads of warmth, intelligence, complexity and gravitas. We talked backstage after I saw him in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ on Broadway, and I knew I was looking at the only person who could play Jim Comey. Lucky for me, he said yes,” he added.
The show will be a four-hour miniseries and there is no set date for when it will air. Production on the project will begin in November, CNN reported.
“[Ray] traveled to Washington, D.C. and several other cities to meet with Comey, his family, and many other key players, including prominent journalists, FBI agents, government officials from both political parties and others,” CBS Studios said Monday.
“Harry Potter” actor Brendan Gleeson, 64, will play President Donald Trump, the studio said.
Comey’s book was critical of Trump, with the former FBI director describing the president’s leadership style as similar to a mob boss. (RELATED: Ex-Comey Aide Describes How FBI Chief Prepared For Infamous Trump Tower Meeting)
Actor Jeff Daniels arrives for the 2019 Tony Awards ‘Meet The Nominees’ Press Reception in New York, U.S., May 1, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
The Department of Justice’s inspector general (IG) criticized Comey, 58, in August, noting in a report that he violated FBI policy in the handling of memos that he wrote in private conversations he had with Trump about Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election.
The IG’s office determined four of the memos contained classified information. Comey, who Trump fired in May 2017, provided four of the memos to his attorneys after his termination.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.