Veteran actor Ed Harris has recently been cast as John McCain in the upcoming HBO original film, "Game Change." The movie, adapted from a book about the contentious 2008 US presidential election, will make Harris the first major Hollywood actor to portray the Arizona senator. Opinions on physical resemblance aside, it's hard to deny that Harris has the film cred to play a man who went from five years of captivity in Vietnam to elder politician and perennial presidential hopeful.
Playing famous Americans is familiar territory for Harris. His portrayal of space pioneer and bona fide hero John Glenn in 1983's "The Right Stuff" perfectly captured a pivotal chapter in American history. The fact that Harris is a dead-ringer for Glenn didn't hurt either.
Despite playing American heroes like Glenn, as well as NASA flight director Gene Kranz in "Apollo 13," Harris has a disarmingly believable dark side too. He's long been one of Hollywood's reliable steely-eyed tough guys, a persona he first put on display in 1980's "Borderline." The gritty film starred Charles Bronson as a border patrol agent charged with tracking down Harris's character, a smuggler who murders Bronson's fellow agent.
"Borderline" marked the first big role for Harris, and while it was neither a critical nor box office success, his portrayal of the cold-blooded villain made an impression on audiences. Harris would go on to play much deeper characters. Just look back on 1989's "Jacknife," in which Harris played a troubled Vietnam vet.
While alcoholic Vietnam veterans arguably became stock characters in Hollywood, Harris's portrayal of Dave in "Jacknife" is honest and emotionally gripping. As Harris's vet drowns himself in alcohol, unable to move on with his life after the death of a friend, he transforms a potential stereotype into a powerful, memorable character.
There's something about Harris's worn face that makes him able to bring a special authenticity to the screen. That authenticity works whether he's playing a Vietnam veteran or famed painter Jackson Pollock in 2000's "Pollock," as well as a poet dying of AIDS in the 2002 drama "The Hours." Both films had Harris demonstrating his nuance with performances as eclectic artists. The enigmatic Christof, creator of "The Truman Show," could also be counted among the artists Harris has portrayed.
John McCain may not be an artist, but Harris has the ideal screen presence to portray the senator. Harris has proven that he can pull off McCain's steely demeanor without making him seem like a one-dimensional caricature. Although Julianne Moore is likely to generate buzz as Sarah Palin, look for Harris to steal the show.
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