Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron (Monster) and director Jay Roach (Meet The Parents, Austin Powers trilogy) are teaming to tell the tale of the late, disgraced Fox News chairman Roger Ailes.
Annapurna Pictures is financing and producing the as of now untitled movie, which is scheduled for release in 2019.
Theron portrays Megyn Kelly, a former lawyer who was a Fox News anchor for over a decade, rising up through the ranks from legal contributor to host of the popular series The Kelly File. Fox News reportedly tried to pressure her to come out in support of Ailes, but she refused.
Theron is also one of the producers of the film, along with Roach.
Ailes ran Fox News and helped launch the careers of Kelly, Sean Hannity and Gretchen Carlson with his powerful channel. He also was also a prominent figure in Republican circles who helped elect presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
Ailes was forced to resign in 2016 when a host of accusations of sexual misconduct surfaced, with Carlson and Kelly’s the most high-profile, and which contributed to his exit from the network.
The film is described as an ensemble feature, with Ailes and others who were involved at Fox News during his reign said to be major players in the piece. Characters included are Carlson, former anchor Greta Van Susteren, media mogul Rupert Murdoch and fired host Bill O’Reilly. No word yet on who will play those anchors.
Roach received accolades for taking on real-life political events in his movies, such as the 2000 presidential election and the Sarah Palin-centric feature Game Change from HBO.
Charlize Theron to Play Megyn Kelly in new Jay Roach Movie.
