- Notes provided by Sony Pictures -

``The Ides of March
Production Information

Oscar(R)- and Golden Globe-nominated writer-director George Clooney has assembled the leading actors of our generation to star in this riveting thriller. The cast has received a combined 13 Academy Award(R) nominations, 3 Academy Awards(R), 23 Golden Globe nominations and 6 Golden Globe Awards.

With sharp, quick-witted dialogue and set against the spectacle of modern world power and politics, The Ides of March is an intense tale of sex, ambition, loyalty, betrayal and revenge. The film follows a young press spokesman who falls prey to backroom politics, the treacherous manipulations of veteran operatives and seduction by a young intern.

In the film, George Clooney plays Governor Morris, a candidate running in the presidential primary race for the Democratic Party ticket. Ryan Gosling plays his press spokesman, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays his campaign manager, Paul Giamatti plays a rival campaign manager, Marisa Tomei plays a reporter for the New York Times, Evan Rachel Wood plays an intern for the Morris campaign, Jeffrey Wright plays a key senator, and Max Minghella plays Ben Harper, a campaign worker for Morris.

Columbia Pictures and Cross Creek Pictures present, in association with Exclusive Media Group and Crystal City Entertainment, a Smokehouse / Appian Way production, The Ides of March. The film stars Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella, and Evan Rachel Wood. Directed by George Clooney. Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, based on the play ``Farragut North by Beau Willimon. The film is produced by Heslov and Clooney and Brian Oliver. Executive producers are Leonardo DiCaprio, Stephen Pevner, Nigel Sinclair, Guy East, Todd Thompson, Nina Wolarsky, Jennifer Killoran, and Barbara A. Hall. The Director of Photography is Phedon Papamichael, ASC. The Production Designer is Sharon Seymour. The Editor is Stephen Mirrione, A.C.E. The Costume Designer is Louise Frogley. Music by Alexandre Desplat. Music Supervisor is Linda Cohen. Casting is by Ellen Chenoweth. Credits are not final.

The Ides of March has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for Pervasive Language. The film will be released in theaters nationwide on October 7, 2011.
ABOUT THE FILM

``I would call this movie a political thriller. I wouldn't think of it necessarily as a political movie, says George Clooney, who directs, produces, co-writes, and stars in The Ides of March. As it focuses more on process than platform, Clooney says that the story will appeal to members of both parties. ``I suppose if you're a Democrat you'll like the beginning of the movie best, and if you're a Republican you'll like the end best. It walks that line of picking on everybody. If it is a political movie, it's a political movie without pressing a specific agenda, and that was what was important to us. In that way, politics serves as a backdrop to the character arc and changes in motivation experienced by the main character, an idealistic staffer Stephen Meyers (played by Ryan Gosling).

In The Ides of March, Meyers finds his idealism and belief in his man taking a back seat to backroom political dealing and manipulative power plays. The origins of the film trace back to the summer of 2004. It was then that Beau Willimon - a young writer who had recently finished working on the staff of presidential hopeful Howard Dean's campaign in Iowa - wrote the first draft of his play ``Farragut North. Willimon drew from his own experiences to weave this tale of political intrigue and betrayal behind the scenes of a presidential campaign.

``I had worked on a number of political campaigns, and the play stemmed out of all of my experiences working in the political world, says Willimon. ``The characters are fictional amalgamations of the hundreds of people that I ran across during those experiences. But everything that is mentioned in the play - and to a certain extent reflected in the movie - in terms of breaking laws, manipulating the democratic process, the backroom dealing, the power plays - all that's true. It's scary how much politicians will manipulate the process to get that brass ring of the highest office in the land. Playing by the rules of the game is not what gets you elected president.

The play premiered at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City in 2008, then moved to L.A.'s Geffen Playhouse in 2009. Eventually, it fell into the hands of an employee at Smokehouse Pictures, George Clooney and Grant Heslov's production company. Longtime friends Clooney and Heslov had previously collaborated on the multiple Oscar(R) nominee Good Night, and Good Luck, as well as Leatherheads, The Men Who Stare at Goats, and The American.

Translating the play from stage to screen involved a number of changes - not least of which is that Governor Morris, the candidate, becomes a character; he never appeared in the play. ``The candidate did not exist in the play - he never speaks, says Clooney. ``In order to set up a good piece of storytelling, we devised a character - a candidate that Stephen believes in, who everyone believes in - so we could blow him out of the water. In the beginning he looks innocent, honorable - until you find out he's the least honorable of them all.

The filmmakers also changed the title, which Clooney explains: ``'Farragut North' is a terrific title for the play, but it seemed a little too specific for the movie. We placed the primary on the 15th of March, and there are some Shakespearean themes to the movie.

With the script ready, Clooney and Heslov originally planned to shoot the movie in 2008. Then - appropriately enough - politics came into play. ``We'd been working for about a year and a half on the screenplay in 2008, explains Clooney. ``Then Obama was elected and there was such hope, everyone was so happy. It didn't seem like the time was right to make the movie - people were too optimistic for such a cynical film! About a year later, everybody got cynical again, and then we thought we could make this film.

``This was a great piece of material, says producer Brian Oliver of Cross Creek Pictures. ``It had great dialogue and great thriller moments. It's a play on morality and what people will do or have to do to get what they want - and at what cost.

``We really respect George and Grant and the actors, he continues. ``George obviously knows the world of politics. He's proven that he's a phenomenal director and writer. And taking a world that he knows better than most and setting a thriller in that world is a very good fit.

CASTING THE FILM

With the Smokehouse team at the helm, casting the film turned out to be relatively easy. ``George and Grant have these relationships - people just want to work with them, says Brian Oliver. ``We never would get a cast like we have without having George Clooney as the director. As a producer, it's kind of a dream job when George Clooney is directing. George and Grant decide which actors they want in the roles, and then they go get them all. There was no one who they thought they could get to do it that didn't do it.

``All the reactions from all the actors meant something to us, says Clooney. ``It meant that they all believed in the screenplay. This was our baby that we'd been working on - the quality of the cast alone put a great deal of responsibility on Grant and me to make sure we made a good film.

Academy Award(R) nominee Ryan Gosling was cast as Stephen Meyers, press secretary for Governor Morris. Gosling, an Academy Award(R) nominee for his performance in Half Nelson, says he was attracted to the role not only by the strong character arc and story, but by the chance to work with George Clooney. ``Our characters are all here because we believe in Morris, and we believe in his campaign, he says. ``I think that all of us as actors are here because we believe in George, and we believe in his campaign, which is this film.

Clooney fully understood the responsibility on Gosling's shoulders in undertaking this demanding role, which is vital to the success of the film. ``The movie is about Ryan Gosling's character. He starts the movie, he ends the movie, he's in every scene, says Clooney. ``At the beginning, he's smart, the best at what he does, on top of the game, the one everybody wants. By the end of the film, the rug gets pulled out, and he's even better at his job than he was before - and all it costs him is his soul.

``It's an acting challenge, he continues. ``Ryan is a really wonderful actor and he's perfect for the part.

Gosling explains that he was attracted to this ``political film that's not political in its message. You don't really have to know or understand much about politics in order to follow the characters and be invested in the story. But it does offer a window into the sort of behind the scenes that you never really get to see.

Gosling admits that Stephen has played some dirty pool in his past, but working for Morris is a whole new ball game. ``He has stars in his eyes for Governor Morris, because Morris is a sort of purist in the political world, says the actor. ``As a candidate, he's not really interested in playing dirty politics, and he doesn't try and slander the name of his opponent.

Gosling believes Stephen's motives - if not his means - are pure as well. ``My character really wants to effect change in the country and in the world, and he believes that his candidate can do that, he explains. ``But if his candidate isn't going to win then he's not going to be able to be effective.

By the end of the film, ``Stephen makes internal compromises that sort of create an environment internally that his soul can't exist in, says Gosling. ``He's not really recognizable by the end of the film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman signed on for the role of Morris campaign manager Paul Zara. He was impressed by the script, which he calls a good study of human behavior not only under the pressure of politics and the political machine, but of living in America.

``I don't think Paul's really a bad guy, explains Hoffman of his character. ``I think Paul turns into a bad guy if you wrong him in a certain way. Loyalty is Paul's big thing. That's the only way to survive in that business, is that you have people you're loyal to, and you stay loyal to them. Paul relies on it.

In many ways, adds the actor, Paul is ``kind of the guy that gets screwed.

The biggest challenge for Hoffman in portraying the campaign manager was filling the shoes of someone whose job ``I would never want to do in a million years, he says. ``Being in the public eye and overseeing a presidential campaign - something so big and vast - it takes a certain kind of mind, a certain kind of confidence. I like to stand in the back a little bit.

Paul Giamatti was cast as Tom Duffy, manager of the rival Pullman campaign. ``I thought the script was incredibly well written. The rhythms are really specific, and the language. You could tell it would be something fun to do, he says. ``It's the kind of project where you just try to stay out of the way of the script. Every part in it is great.

As for the role of Duffy, ``It's a great part. I loved the role, he says. ``Duffy is in a funny way completely open about the fact that he's a Machiavellian duplicitous bastard. He doesn't really pretend to be anything other than that.

Although Giamatti worked only five days on the shoot, ``Part of the pleasure of the script, he explains, ``is that there are lots of colors within the few scenes that Duffy has. When he's there, it's very strong and vivid. I had wonderful stuff to do.

In the actor's view, Duffy's underhanded tactics just come with the political territory. ``There's no one in this movie who is particularly clean, he explains. ``I think all these guys are super smart, and they're very charming and charismatic. They have to be really good at manipulating people.

The climate of the hotly contested Ohio primary raises the stakes - and fuels the gamesmanship - even more. ``It's getting to a point where Duffy, Paul, and Stephen have to play particularly dirty and ugly with each other, because the race is close. It's heated up, says Giamatti, ``and it's harsh.

``It's a chess game, echoes Philip Seymour Hoffman. ``You try to read what the other player's trying to do, and you try to counter that, or subvert that.

Marisa Tomei plays Ida Horowicz, a feisty reporter for The New York Times who is covering the primaries. The Oscar(R)-winning actress instantly responded to the script.

"I thought it was extremely tight and lean. A lot of layers and character development, combined with intrigue and a plot that was moving forward quickly, she says. ``It's very clean in its use of language, and it has a very distinct rhythm. You had to be really on point with the ideas and your articulation, because the ideas in the script are so complex and layered.

Describing her character, Tomei explains, ``She's friends with all the guys who are on the trail. There is a level of intimacy that comes with being on the road together and having dinner every night together. But at the same time, everyone's got their own job to do, so they've got their own territory to stake out and watch over.

While playing the role, Tomei discovered that the world of campaign journalism can be just as cutthroat as the campaigns themselves. ``Ida's mission is to deliver the facts to the public and to beat everyone else to the punch, she says. ``It's a lot of trading off of information. She's always looking for her opportunity to get more information and get the scoop faster and cleaner than the next guy. It's like a chess game.

Having grown up in Washington with an interest in politics, Jeffrey Wright - who was cast in the role of Senator Thompson - was particularly intrigued by the story. ``It's about power and the machinations that level of power provokes in folks, he says. ``Washington is a fairly ruthless place, and the stakes are very high for these characters.

``Senator Thompson has a fair amount of political leverage relative to the other characters, and he plays that to his advantage, says Wright. ``He's complex. He wears a public face, but you're not quite certain if that public face is the real him.

According to Wright, the film touches on the disturbing nature of many trends emerging in contemporary politics. ``The discussion seems to be getting more divisive and more shrill, and less about common interest and more about self-interest, he says. ``But we've been having a fantastic time, because these elements are great fodder for actors.

Evan Rachel Wood was drawn to the character of Molly, an intern whose actions set in motion a dramatic and devastating series of events. ``I loved the way they wrote this character, says Wood. ``She could never be mistaken for the ditzy, blonde intern. I think the reason why Stephen's character is attracted to her is the fact that she's very calm. She's not fazed, she's not intimidated. She knows what she wants, and she's going after it. I think it's rare that you see a young female character doing that anymore.

``That was one thing that George and I really talked about, is that Molly is the one that should be intimidating, she adds.

One of the challenges for the actress was to find the character's vulnerable side as she encounters personal struggles. ``She is a very strong, brave person. But anybody in her situation would just be completely terrified and vulnerable. So finding that balance of toughness and vulnerability was difficult - and interesting.

Max Minghella was cast as Ben Harpen, one of Morris' young campaign aides. Minghella was ``fanatical about the play ``Farragut North.

``I saw it twice in New York and then twice in L.A., he admits. ``When I found out the film was happening - it's the hardest I've ever worked to try and be involved in something.

Rounding out the cast is George Clooney in the role of Governor Mike Morris. Clooney jokes that he was cast in the role because ``no one else wanted to play that character. It's not the most fun part.

He adds that he was a natural for it because ``I knew what I wanted the candidate to do and be. I also seemed right for the age of the character, he says. ``It's not something I want to do in real life, but it's something that I knew I could do a portion of in this film.

The assemblage of acting talent in The Ides of March is an impressive one, and producer Grant Heslov is confident it won't disappoint. ``The idea that you're going to get to see these actors who are all at the top of their game in this film is pretty amazing, he says. ``As a fan of great acting, I can attest to it. It's really something to watch.

ABOUT THE DESIGN

Production designer Sharon Seymour worked with George Clooney on The Men Who Stare at Goats, which Heslov directed; The Ides of March marks her first collaboration with Clooney in the director's chair. It's also - she points out - the first contemporary film he's directed.

When she first read the script, she was ``really happy and surprised to read something that was intellectually interesting, politically interesting and current, Seymour explains. ``It was the kind of film I like to do and that I like to go see.

While Clooney recommended that Seymour watch a number of campaign documentaries for research and preparation, that said, ``we talked in the beginning about not having an unstructured documentary look to the film, she says. ``The design had to be realistic, but it was also going to have the visual integrity and smoothness of a feature film.

Seymour was pleased that ``we were actually going to shoot the movie where it was written for - in Ohio, she says. ``It was great for the people in my department to start the shoot there because we all came to understand the flavor of Cincinnati and the state. We took that with us when we got to Detroit.
Almost all locations were practical - the two that required the most construction were Pullman and Morris headquarters, which were created in spaces for lease in downtown Detroit. The lack of lavish set pieces and design elements didn't stifle Seymour. ``That's the goal of the design - you take these potentially pedestrian environments, and you find a way to make them interesting. As a filmmaker, you find the beauty in the ordinary.

Political consultants from both Ohio and Washington served as valuable resources for Seymour. They gave her an inside look at the machinations of contemporary political campaigns. ``Everybody wants their candidate to look the best, she says. ``There really is a whole one-upsmanship about the placement of your candidate - who gets to speak first, the height of the podiums. All the things that you think are impromptu typically are not. It's very orchestrated.

Campaign posters are just one of these highly orchestrated elements, and as much thought and planning went into Morris' paraphernalia as a genuine candidate's. ``We wanted some feeling of difference between the two candidates, says Seymour. ``Morris is the underdog. He's very much the 'free thinker' candidate - the man of the people. He's not the tried and true choice, but he's got a groundswell behind him, and he's now ahead in the polls by the time we pick him up in the movie.

As a result, Morris' campaign posters have a look that's hipper than Pullman's have. ``Morris' graphics are more of the look that Obama brought to politics, which is a much more contemporary, graphic look, she says. ``Not as photographic. More stylized and less structured.

Like Seymour, costume designer Louise Frogley strove for a classic, timeless look for the film. ``It's about framing the actors, giving them support. You're not making a statement, says Frogley about her role in the production. ``It's not a stylish film from the point of view of the clothes. You'll never notice the clothes in this film.

The thinking behind many of the costumes was pure practicality, taking into account the demands of campaign life. ``What can you pack in a suitcase for a week's trip? asks Frogley. ``Two suits, two shirts - it's very minimal.

Frogley's decisions were often influenced by the actors themselves. ``Marisa Tomei wanted to look like Patti Smith - then she made it her own, taking it away from that look a bit, says Frogley. ``Ryan had a lot more opinions about the clothes than a lot of the actors - he's very interesting, and he's interested in clothes.

Mimicking his rise within the campaign ranks, Stephen's clothing definitely gets an upgrade by the last scene in the film, in which he wears a Gucci suit. By contrast, Paul Zara's suits look more rumpled over the duration of the film. The suit Clooney wore as Governor Mike Morris was custom made - ``We were finding that there's a certain classic look of present day politicians like Obama, and I wasn't able to find it off the rack, says Frogley. Clooney wanted Molly to dress very ``preppy, young and correct, she says, while Cindy Morris, the governor's wife, should be dressed in ``cashmere and pearls - very soft.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Filming on The Ides of March began during late winter in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky (not far from Clooney's hometown of Lexington). On location in and around Cincinnati, the production shot at such notable spots as Fountain Square, Roebling Bridge, Xavier University's Cintas Center and Miami University of Ohio. Shooting in the location where the vast majority of the film actually takes place was a luxury.

``It makes all the difference, says Grant Heslov. ``You get to have some feeling of place.

In addition, ``George is from the area, so he really knows it, continues Heslov. ``He knew the locations. He knew the people. It actually made it a lot of fun.

Shooting in an area where he is considered a beloved native son was a unique experience for Clooney. Interest in the production definitely ran high - over 23,000 locals, for example, responded to an extras casting announcement.

``It was fun, and it made it easier for us, he says. ``I was around my family for a while.

As director, producer, co-writer and key actor, Clooney didn't have much time for family reunions. On set, ``He had so much to do, says Paul Giamatti. ``But George was strangely relaxed about it. I love the way he did it. It was very straightforward and simple - he doesn't overwork things and doesn't overshoot things. You trust everything he's saying. He's a smart guy, and he wants to make good movies.

Clooney encouraged his actors and creative team to prepare for shooting by watching various campaign documentaries, such as The War Room, which traced Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential bid; Journeys With George, about George W. Bush's 2000 campaign for the White House; and By the People: The Election of Barack Obama. The filmmakers even watched Primary, a groundbreaking 1960 documentary which followed presidential hopefuls John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey during that year's Wisconsin primary.

Stuart Stevens - a Republican campaign strategist, political advisor and media consultant who has worked on a number of presidential campaigns - also helped the filmmakers prepare. ``Stuart was a really valuable voice, says Clooney. ``We would send him things and say, tell us where we're going wrong. Tell us what you would do in this situation. What's your pitch? Stuart's the perfect example of a guy who believes in the things that he says. He could work for anybody - he worked for George Bush, he could have just as easily worked for John McCain in that same primary.

About three weeks into shooting, the production moved to Detroit. Here, all of the interiors in the Pullman and Morris headquarters would be shot. Several downtown and suburban locations were used; the unit also shot for four days at the University of Michigan, including at sites such as the Arthur Miller Theater, Power Center and Michigan League ballroom. The production was a welcome presence in the area.

``Detroit's had it hard, says Clooney of the location. ``They lost most of the music industry, and they lost a lot of the car industry. And now they may be losing their film industry. I hope for them because they're going through a tough time right now.

Although Clooney has directed himself before in Leatherheads, Good Night, and Good Luck., and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, it's not a chore he relishes. ``Directing yourself is not a fun thing to do, he confesses. For example, during the large Morris speech scenes, ``All I'm considering, all I'm thinking about while I'm speaking and can feel the camera moving this way and knowing that it's moving too soon is, 'I'm going to have to do this again.'

The cast, however, was generally in awe of Clooney's relaxed manner on set despite juggling multiple duties. ``I don't know how you do it as an actor to be in the moment and also be outside the moment at the same time as a director, but he handles it very well, says Jeffrey Wright. ``I guess he does everything with one eye on the other, but it doesn't show.

``As an actor he's very present and very professional, echoes Ryan Gosling. ``As a director he's got a great visual eye, and he knows how to communicate what he wants. He knows what he's talking about.

``I don't think all actors should direct, adds Philip Seymour Hoffman. ``But I think George is the kind of guy that should and did, and should keep doing it.

``George makes it a very comfortable set, agrees Marisa Tomei. ``I feel very safe to screw up, basically. You feel like he's got you there in his hands. He's in control of it all, but loosely. His mind can handle lots and lots of things at the same time.

Clooney's jokes and occasional pranks were also welcome on set, keeping smiles on the faces of extras and crew alike.

``George is hilarious, says Frogley, the costume designer, who has worked with Clooney on six films, including The Ides of March. ``He's a very nice person to work with.

***

Ultimately, the filmmakers hope that audiences are entertained by a compelling story in ``The Ides of March and riveted by the strong performances of a top flight cast.

``I think that the movie will surprise people, in the sense that it's not exactly what people think it is, says producer Brian Oliver. ``It's a lot more, and I think that when people see it and they see the performances, they're going to be impressed.

Furthermore, audiences don't have to be politically savvy to get caught up in the film's tangled web of behind-the-scenes manipulations. ``It's very much a human drama, says Jeffrey Wright. ``It's a play about interactions, desires, ideas and emotions that I think all of us as audience members will get wrapped up in. It's a very intense and moving ride.

But Clooney wouldn't mind if the movie prompted viewers to ask themselves a few questions about the democratic process, too.

``Do we want to make every candidate have to be shiny? he asks. ``Is this really what we're going to do? Is this how we're going to elect people, the process that we're going to use? To me, it's an indictment on all of us.

ABOUT THE CAST

In 2007, RYAN GOSLING (Stephen Meyers) was honored with both a Golden Globe and a SAG Award nomination for his work in Lars and the Real Girl. The previous year, he garnered an Academy Award(R) nomination for Best Actor for his role in Half Nelson. His performance as Dan, a drug-addicted inner city junior high school teacher, also garnered Best Actor nominations from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Chicago Film Critics, Online Film Critics' Society, Toronto Film Critics and the Satellite Awards. He was awarded the Male Breakthrough Performance Award from the National Board of Review, and won Best Actor awards from both the Seattle and Stockholm International Film Festivals.

Gosling's performance in The Believer, which won the Grand Jury prize at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, garnered him a Best Actor Film Independent Spirit nomination, a Best Actor nomination from the London Film Critics' Circle, and earned him the Golden Ram for Best Actor by the Russian National Critics Association.

He returned to Sundance in 2002 starring in the independent feature The Slaughter Rule, playing an emotionally vulnerable and estranged teen, opposite David Morse. He received strong reviews for his follow-up performance as a nihilistic predator in the psychological thriller Murder by Numbers, opposite Sandra Bullock. Other film credits include Remember the Titans, starring Denzel Washington.

Gosling's penchant to take on intricate and complex characters earned him the lead and title role in The United States of Leland, opposite Kevin Spacey and Don Cheadle. Subsequently, he starred in the blockbuster romantic drama The Notebook, followed by Marc Forster's Stay, opposite Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts. He also starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the New Line thriller Fracture as well as took the lead role in All Good Things. He can also be seen in the drama Blue Valentine opposite Michelle Williams, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe.

In 2011, Gosling can be seen in the marital crisis comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love, directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, also starring Steve Carell, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone. He can also be seen in Drive, an action film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, in which Gosling stars opposite Carey Mulligan.

In addition to his work on screen, Gosling released the album ``Dead Man's Bones.

GEORGE CLOONEY (Governor Mike Morris/Director/Co-screenwriter/Producer) is recognized as much for his global humanitarian efforts as he is for his accomplishments in the entertainment industry.

Clooney's achievements as a performer and a filmmaker have earned him an Academy Award(R), two Golden Globes and an Emmy, as well as four other Oscar(R) nominations, six additional Golden Globe nominations, and numerous SAG, BAFTA, Emmy and Critics' Choice Awards. In 2006 he received the American Cinematheque Award and the Modern Master Award from the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

When Clooney received his Oscar(R) for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana in 2006, he also earned Academy Award(R) nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night, and Good Luck. It was the first time in Academy history that an individual had received acting and directing nominations for two different films in the same year.

In addition, he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana and was nominated for SAG, BAFTA and Critics' Choice Awards for his work in that film.

In 2009, Clooney received an Academy Award(R) nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, a SAG nomination and a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the critically acclaimed film Up in the Air. He also won National Board of Review and New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Up in the Air and another New York Film Critics Circle Award that same year for his voice performance in the hit animated feature Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Clooney made his directorial debut in 2002 with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind for Miramax, winning the Special Achievement in Film Award from the National Board of Review.

In addition to Oscar(R) nominations for writing and directing his second directorial project - Good Night, and Good Luck. - Clooney received the Paul Selvin Award from the Writers Guild of America and the Freedom Award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association. The film also earned Clooney nominations for two Golden Globes, two BAFTA Awards, a SAG Award, an Independent Spirit Award, two Critics' Choice Awards, a WGA Award and a DGA Award.

Clooney received critical acclaim for the award-winning drama Three Kings and the Oscar-nominated Out of Sight. His other performing credits include Solaris, The Peacemaker, Batman & Robin, One Fine Day, From Dusk 'Til Dawn, and Burn After Reading. This last film reunited him for the third time with the Coen brothers. He also worked with them on O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and on Intolerable Cruelty (Clooney refers to the three films as ``my trilogy of idiots).

In 2009, Clooney starred in and produced The Men Who Stare at Goats, which was a Smokehouse Production, the company he formed with Grant Heslov. Smokehouse's initial project was the romantic comedy Leatherheads, which Clooney also directed and starred in for Universal.

Heslov and Clooney first worked together at Section Eight, a company in which Clooney was partnered with Steven Soderbergh. Section Eight productions included Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen, Michael Clayton, The Good German, Good Night, and Good Luck., Syriana, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, The Jacket, Full Frontal, and Welcome to Collinwood.

Clooney's recent film credits include Focus Features' dramatic thriller The American, in which he starred and also served as a producer. He will be seen later this year in Fox's Searchlight's The Descendants.

On television, Clooney starred in several series earlier in his career, becoming best known to TV audiences for his five years on the hit NBC drama "ER." His portrayal of Dr. Douglas Ross earned him Golden Globe, SAG, People's Choice and Emmy Award nominations. In 2009, Clooney returned for one final episode in which his character was reunited with his longtime love.

For Section Eight's television division, Clooney was an executive producer and directed five episodes of ``Unscripted, a reality-based show that debuted on HBO. He also was executive producer and cameraman on "K Street, also for HBO.

Clooney was executive producer and co-star of the live television broadcast of "Fail-Safe," an Emmy-winning telefilm developed through his Maysville Pictures. ``Fail-Safe was nominated for a 2000 Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. The telefilm was based on the early 1960s novel of the same name.

The son of an anchorman, Clooney is a strong First Amendment advocate with a deep commitment to humanitarian causes. In 2006, Clooney and his father, Nick, went to drought-stricken Darfur, Africa, to film the documentary ``Journey to Darfur. Clooney's work on behalf of Darfur relief led to his addressing the United Nations Security Council. He also narrated the Darfur documentary ``Sand and Sorrow.

In 2007, Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Jerry Weintraub co-founded Not On Our Watch, an organization whose mission is to focus global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities in Darfur.

Among the many honors received as a result of his humanitarian efforts in Darfur was the 2007 Peace Summit Award, given at the eighth World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates at their annual meeting in Rome. Also taking part in the ceremony were Rome's Mayor Walter Veltroni, Lech Walesa, Mikhail Gorbachev and the Dalai Lama. In 2008, Clooney was designated a U.N. Messenger of Peace, one of eight individuals chosen to advocate on behalf of the U.N. and its peacekeeping efforts.

In January of 2010, Clooney, along with Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions, produced the ``Hope for Haiti Now! telethon, which raised more than $66 million, setting a new record for donations made by the public through a disaster-relief telethon.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Clooney the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2010 Primetime Emmys. He was the fourth recipient of this prestigious award.

Later that year, Clooney received the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award for his dedication to humanitarian efforts in Sudan and Haiti.

In December of 2010, Clooney along with the United Nations, Harvard University and Google, launched ``The Satellite Sentinel Project, an effort to monitor violence and human-rights violations between Southern and Northern Sudan. Not on Our Watch funded new monitoring technology, which allows private satellites to take photographs of any potential threats to civilians, detect bombs, observe the movement of troops and note any other evidence of possible mass violence.

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (Paul Zara) will star in Moneyball with Brad Pitt, directed by Bennett Miller, opening in September. He recently made his feature directorial debut with Jack Goes Boating, in which he also co-starred alongside Amy Ryan, John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin Vega. The movie was produced by Cooper's Town Productions and based on the play of the same name. Other recent film credits are Richard Curtis' Pirate Radio, Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York, John Patrick Shanley's Doubt, Tamara Jenkins' The Savages, Mike Nichols' Charlie Wilson's War, and Sidney Lumet's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. It was Hoffman's performance in Capote, directed by Bennett Miller and executive produced through his company, Cooper's Town Productions, for which he earned an Oscar(R), a Golden Globe and SAG Award.

Further film credits include Mission: Impossible III, Along Came Polly, Cold Mountain, The Party's Over, Owning Mahowny, 25th Hour, Red Dragon, Punch-Drunk Love, Love Liza, Almost Famous, State and Main, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Magnolia, Flawless, Patch Adams, Happiness, The Big Lebowski, Boogie Nights, Twister, Nobody's Fool, Scent of a Woman, and HBO's ``Empire Falls.

Hoffman joined the LAByrinth Theater Company in 1995 and was its Co-Artistic Director for over 10 years before stepping down. As an actor, his theater credits include a limited run in ``Othello, adapted and directed by Peter Sellars, performed in Vienna and New York; LAByrinth's production of ``Jack Goes Boating (The Public Theater), ``Long Day's Journey Into Night (Broadway), ``The Seagull (The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival), ``True West (Broadway), ``Defying Gravity (American Place Theatre), ``The Merchant of Venice (directed by Peter Sellars), ``Shopping and F*cking (New York Theatre Workshop) and ``The Author's Voice (Drama Department).

His theater directing credits include the world premieres of ``The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, ``Our Lady of 121st Street, ``Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, ``In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, and ``The Little Flower of East Orange, all written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and produced by LAByrinth. Hoffman's celebrated New York production of ``Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won the Fringe First Award, and London's Donmar Warehouse, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Play. It then moved on to London's West End for an extended run at The Arts Theatre. Similarly, his acclaimed production of ``Our Lady of 121st Street transferred off Broadway to the Union Square Theater, where it ran for nearly six months.

Additionally, Hoffman directed Rebecca Gilman's ``The Glory of Living at MCC Theater. He traveled to Australia to direct Andrew Upton's ``Riflemind at the famed Sydney Theater Company and later mounted the play in London. He's also directed Brett C. Leonard's ``The Long Red Road for the Goodman Theater in Chicago and returned to the Sydney Theater Company to direct ``True West.

With a diverse roster of finely etched, award-winning and critically acclaimed performances, PAUL GIAMATTI (Tom Duffy) has established himself as one of the most versatile actors of his generation.

This summer, he is currently filming New Line's adaptation of the Broadway stage musical Rock of Ages, directed by Adam Shankman. The film, co-starring Tom Cruise, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige and Alec Baldwin, will hit theatres in summer 2012. Giamatti is also in production on David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, co-starring Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche. The film will be released in 2012.

Giamatti can currently be seen in the critically acclaimed Win-Win, a film written and directed by Oscar(R) nominee Tom McCarthy, opposite Bobby Cannavale, Amy Ryan and newcomer Alex Shaffer.

He can also be seen in the HBO movie ``Too Big to Fail, directed by Curtis Hanson, in which Giamatti portrays Ben Bernanke opposite William Hurt and Billy Crudup, as well as The Hangover Part II, directed by Todd Phillips, opposite Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis.

Giamatti was last seen in Barney's Version, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Mordechai Richler, in which he portrays the title character Barney Panofsky. The film was directed by Richard J. Lewis and co-stars Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike and Minnie Driver. His performance earned him his second Golden Globe.

In 2008, Giamatti won an Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries for his portrayal of the title character in the HBO seven-part Emmy Award-winning miniseries ``John Adams. Directed by Emmy Award Winning director Tom Hooper, Giamatti played President John Adams in a cast that also included award-winning actors Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, David Morse and Stephen Dillane.

In 2006, Giamatti's performance in Ron Howard's Cinderella Man earned him a SAG Award and Broadcast Film Critics' Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as Academy Award(R) and Golden Globe nominations in the same category.

For his role in Alexander Payne's critically-lauded Sideways, Giamatti earned several accolades for his performance including Best Actor from the Independent Spirit Awards, New York Film Critics Circle and a Golden Globe nomination.

In 2004, Giamatti garnered outstanding reviews and commendations (Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actor, National Board of Review Breakthrough performance of the Year) for his portrayal of Harvey Pekar in Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's American Splendor.

Giamatti first captured the eyes of America in Betty Thomas' hit comedy Private Parts. His extensive list of film credits also includes The Last Station opposite Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren, Tony Gilroy's Duplicity, Cold Souls which Giamatti also Executive Produced, David Dobkin's Fred Claus, Shoot 'Em Up opposite Clive Owen, Shari Springer Berman and Roger Pulcini's The Nanny Diaries, M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, The Illusionist, directed by Neil Burger, Milos Forman's Man on the Moon, Julian Goldberger's The Hawk is Dying, Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock, F. Gary Gray's The Negotiator, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, Peter Weir's The Truman Show, Mike Newell's Donnie Brasco, Todd Solondz' Storytelling, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, Duets, opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, the animated film Robots and Big Momma's House, co-starring Martin Lawrence. Giamatti also appeared in James Foley's Confidence and John Woo's Paycheck.

As an accomplished stage actor, Giamatti received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Supporting Actor as Jimmy Tomorrow in Kevin Spacey's Broadway revival of ``The Iceman Cometh. His other Broadway credits include ``The Three Sisters directed by Scott Elliot; ``Racing Demon directed by Richard Eyre; and Arcadia directed by Trevor Nunn. He was also seen Off-Broadway in the ensemble cast of ``The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui with Al Pacino.

For television, Giamatti appeared in ``The Pentagon Papers with James Spader, HBO's ``Winchell opposite Stanley Tucci, and Jane Anderson's ``If These Walls Could Talk 2.

He resides in Brooklyn, NY.

MARISA TOMEI (Ida Horowicz) continues to effortlessly bridge the gap between rich, dramatic performances and smart, comedic turns. Working with large studios or independent houses, Marisa consistently brings her independent spirit to every project with which she is involved.

Marisa won an Academy Award(R) for Best Supporting Actress for her role in My Cousin Vinny. Tomei took a dramatic turn with In the Bedroom, earning her second Academy Award(R) nomination. Marisa received her third Academy Award(R) nomination for Darren Aronofsky's critically acclaimed indie drama The Wrestler.

In 2011, Tomei has had an array of strong and diverse projects. She was most recently seen playing alongside Steve Carrell in Warner Bros.'s Crazy, Stupid, Love and in Salvation Boulevard with Greg Kinnear. Earlier in the year she starred opposite Matthew McConaughy in The Lincoln Lawyer. Being fiercely committed to the theatre, Tomei returned to the stage this spring in Wally Shawn's ``Marie and Bruce. The critically acclaimed 2011 New Group revival had Tomei co-starring with Frank Whaley.

In 2009, Tomei traveled to Ethiopia to direct a short film based on the Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn's book Half the Sky. The film, Marisa's directorial debut, focuses on a thirteen year old girl's struggle with the institutionalized oppression of women in Ethiopia.

Tomei can be seen in Howard Zinn's documentary The People Speak alongside Josh Brolin and Viggo Mortensen. Produced by Matt Damon for the History Channel, the film brings together these accomplished performers to give voice to the factory workers, rebels, and misfits who together brought about social change with their insistence on justice and equality and who shaped our history in a way that only ``the people can.

Tomei was seen in Sidney Lumet's critically praised jewel heist drama Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, alongside Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman. For her role in the film, Tomei earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Other recent film credits include the the indie comedy Cyrus with John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill; the political satire War Inc. with John Cusack; Factotum with Matt Dillon, directed by Bent Hamer; the box office hit Wild Hogs; and the Sundance favorites Loverboy (directed by Kevin Bacon) and Marilyn Hotchkiss.

Tomei's diverse credits include What Women Want, Happy Accidents, Anger Management, The Guru, Alfie, Slums of Beverly Hills, Welcome to Sarajevo, The Perez Family, A Brother's Kiss, and Unhook the Stars opposite Gena Rowlands, for which she was honored by her peers with a Screen Actors Guild nomination.

In 2008, Tomei starred on Broadway in Caryl Churchill's now-classic feminist drama ``Top Girls. She also starred on Broadway opposite Al Pacino in Oscar Wilde's "Salome" in the title role. Her previous theater credits include Will Eno's ``Oh! The Humanity and Other Good Intentions, Nobel Prize-winning playwright Dario Fo's "We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay!," Clifford Odet's "Waiting for Lefty" and "Rocket to the Moon," both directed by Joanne Woodward, among many, many others. Tomei also starred in Noel Coward's "Design for Living" at the Williamstown Theater Festival. Tomei is a member of the Naked Angels Theater Company in New York City.

EVAN RACHEL WOOD (Molly Stearns) is one of the most talented young actresses of her time. She earned critical acclaim for her powerful performance as Stephanie, Mickey Rourke's estranged daughter in Darren Aronofsky's 2008 film, The Wrestler. A working actress since she was five, Wood had her breakout role in 2003 with Catherine Hardwicke's controversial independent film Thirteen, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Drama as well as a Best Actress SAG Award.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wood is the daughter of Sara Lynn Moore, actress, director and acting coach, and Ira David Wood III, an actor, singer, theatre director and playwright. While growing up, she was active in a regional theatre called Theatre in the Park, directed by her father. She recently returned to this venue as Juliet, in ``Romeo and Juliet, directed by her brother, Ira David Wood IV. She began her professional career in 1994, acting in TV movies, including ``In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness, ``Search for Grace, ``A Father for Charlie and ``Death in Small Doses. She also had a recurring role on the series ``American Gothic.

She was most recently seen in Robert Redford's The Conspirator and the HBO miniseries adaptation of ``Mildred Pierce alongside Kate Winslet. Other recent credits include the role of Melodie in Woody Allen's ``Whatever Works and as Queen Sophie-Ann Leclerq in the critically acclaimed HBO show, ``True Blood.

In 1996, Wood moved with her mother to Los Angeles. After a one-season role on the drama ``Profiler, she was cast as a series regular on the award-winning series ``Once and Again, in which she appeared for four seasons. Her first major screen role was Digging to China with Kevin Bacon, followed by Practical Magic, with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. In 2002, she made her teenage debut as a leading film actress in Little Secrets and played a supporting role in the sci-fi drama, S1m0ne, starring Al Pacino. The following year, in addition to her role in Thirteen, Wood played the kidnapped daughter of Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones in Ron Howard's Missing Her subsequent films include The Upside of Anger, Pretty Persuasion (2005 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner), Down in the Valley, Running with Scissors and King of California. She displayed her singing talents in 2007 with her role as Lucy in Julie Taymor's Across the Universe. She then voiced the role of an alien in Battle for Terra, and starred opposite Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes, before playing Stephanie in The Wrestler.

MAX MINGHELLA (Ben Harpen) was last seen on the big screen in David Fincher's The Social Network. The critically acclaimed film won three Academy Awards(R) and four Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture - Drama.

Minghella will next be seen co-starring alongside Emile Hirsch in The Darkest Hour. The film tells the story of a group of friends trying to survive after an alien invasion.

Minghella starred opposite Rachel Weisz in Alejandro Amenabar's international box office hit Agora. The historical epic was Spain's highest grossing film of 2009 and the winner of seven Goya Awards.

Other recent credits include Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Hippie Hippie Shake, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, and cult favorite Elvis and Anabelle, opposite Blake Lively.

Minghella made his acting debut in 2005 with Fox Searchlight's family drama Bee Season. He followed this up with a role as the protagonist of Terry Zwigoff's Art School Confidential as well as with the role of George Clooney's son in the CIA thriller Syriana.

Minghella attended Columbia University and the National Youth Theater in London. He currently resides in both London and Los Angeles.

Critically acclaimed actor JEFFREY WRIGHT (Senator Thompson) continually pushes the boundaries of his craft with inspiring and celebrated performances in an illustrious career that has spanned the worlds of theatre, film and television.

He was most recently seen in Duncan Jones' Source Code. Wright will be seen next year in Paramount's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, directed by Stephen Daldry.

Wright, a gifted theater actor, was most recently on stage as the lead in John Guare's "A Free Man of Color" at Lincoln Center, directed by George C. Wolfe, a frequent collaborator. In 2001 and 2002 respectively, he earned an Obie award and a Tony nomination for his work in the play "Topdog/Underdog." Wright garnered a Tony Award in 1994 for his portrayal in Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning epic ``Angels in America, both also directed by George C. Wolfe. Wright reprised his ``Angels role in HBO's 2003 miniseries adaption of the play, earning both a Golden Globe and Emmy for his groundbreaking performance.

On film, Wright has portrayed a stunning array of icons and iconoclasts. Wright's brilliant portrayal of the renowned and controversial graffiti artist, Jean Michel Basquiat, in the 1996 film Basquiat, received widespread praise from critics and earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination. On the other end of the spectrum, Wright has taken on roles in the 2006 and 2008 James Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and also in 2008, starred as Muddy Waters in Cadillac Records and as Colin Powell in Oliver Stone's W. In 2005, he co-starred in the award-winning film Syriana, and his other credits include Jonathan Demme's remake of The Manchurian Candidate; Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers, earning another Independent Spirit Award nomination; Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil; and Shaft. For his portrayal of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in HBO's ``Boycott, he received a 2001 AFI award.

In addition to acting, Wright serves on the board of directors of the Tribeca Film Institute, Resolve, and on the board of governors of Saint Albans School for Boys. He is active in economic development projects in Africa as vice chairman of Taia Lion Resources and Taia Peace Foundation and through his work as a board member of the non-profit organization, All for Africa. Wright was recently named by the Government of Sierra Leone as the 'Peace by Piece' Ambassador for that country's 2011 50th Anniversary Independence Celebration.

Born in Washington, D.C., Wright graduated from Amherst College, receiving a B.A. in political science in 1987, and earned a doctorate of humane letters from his alma mater in 2004. Wright resides in Brooklyn, NY with his wife, actress Carmen Ejogo, and their two children.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

GEORGE CLOONEY (Director/Co-Screenwriter/Producer/Governor Mike Morris) See bio in Cast section

GRANT HESLOV (Producer/Co-screenwriter) is a writer, director, producer, and actor. He garnered an Academy Award(R) nomination in 2005 for his work on Good Night, And Good Luck., which he co-wrote (with George Clooney) and produced. Most recently Heslov produced the film The American, directed by Anton Cobijn and starring Clooney. Heslov also produced the comedy features Leatherheads and The Men Who Stare at Goats for Smokehouse Pictures, the production company in which Heslov and Clooney are partnered.

Heslov began his career as an actor and made his directorial debut with the award-winning short ``Waiting for Woody in 1998, which he also wrote.

In 2009, Heslov made his feature film directorial debut with The Men Who Stare at Goats, starring Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, and Kevin Spacey.

For television, Heslov served as director and executive producer of the critically acclaimed series ``Unscripted and co-executive producer of ``K Street, both for HBO. Heslov is currently an executive producer on the TNT drama series ``Memphis Beat.

BEAU WILLIMON (Co-Screenwriter/Based on a Play by) is a playwright and screenwriter. His plays include ``Farragut North (Atlantic Theater Company, 2008), ``Lower Ninth (Flea Theater, 2008; UK premiere, Donmar Warehouse, 2010), and ``Spirit Control (Manhattan Theatre Club, 2010). He has also written films for Warner Bros., Fox 2000 and Summit Entertainment. He is currently working on a TV pilot based on the BBC miniseries ``House of Cards, with David Fincher slated to direct and Kevin Spacey attached to star.

Willimon has received such accolades as the Lila Acheson Wallace Juilliard Playwriting Fellowship and the 2008 Playwright-in-Residence at the Donmar Warehouse. He is also a two-time winner of the Lincoln Center Le Comte du Nouy Award. His plays have been seen across the U.S. and overseas. His current theatre commissions include the National Theatre of Great Britain, MTC and South Coast Rep. He has written for Esquire, Malibu magazine, ``The Huffington Post and ``The Daily Beast.

In addition to his career as a writer, Willimon served on a number of political campaigns, including Chuck Schumer's 1998 senate race, Bill Bradley's 2000 presidential race, Hillary Clinton's 2000 senate race and Howard Dean's 2004 presidential race.

Willimon graduated with a B.A. from Columbia University in 1999 and an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Columbia University's School of the Arts in 2003. A St. Louis native, he now resides in Brooklyn, NY.

BRIAN OLIVER (Producer) is the Academy Award(R)-nominated producer of Black Swan, co-produced and co-financed by Cross Creek Pictures and Fox Searchlight. As president of Cross Creek Pictures, Oliver is involved in all aspects of the company's film development, acquisitions, financing, and production. He is also a member of the investment committee of Cross Creek Partners, a film fund formed by Timmy Thompson and a consortium of private business investors from Louisiana and Texas. Cross Creek's first film was Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel. Black Swan was nominated for five Academy Awards(R) including Best Picture and grossed more than $100 million in the U.S. alone. Oliver is also producer of The Woman in Black, directed by James Watkins and starring Daniel Radcliffe, to be released in October 2011.

Oliver received his J.D. with Honors specializing in Entertainment Law from Whittier College School of Law after receiving a B.A. in Political Science at the University of California at Berkeley. Oliver followed early stints at Paramount Pictures and the William Morris Agency with a position as the V.P. of Production at Propaganda Films, where he was involved in numerous high profile projects as a producer and executive, including the Paul Schrader-directed Auto Focus starring Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe, The Badge starring Billy Bob Thornton and Patricia Arquette, and Trapped starring Charlize Theron and Kevin Bacon. As an independent producer he developed a number of projects before co-founding Cross Creek Pictures in 2009.

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO (Executive Producer) is an award-winning actor and a three-time Academy Award(R) nominee. He recently starred in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster Inception and in the dramatic thriller Shutter Island, which marked his fourth collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. DiCaprio is currently filming the title role in J. Edgar, under the direction of Clint Eastwood.

DiCaprio earned his latest Oscar(R) nod in 2007 for his performance in Edward Zwick's drama Blood Diamond, also receiving Golden Globe, Critics' Choice and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his work in the film. That same year, he garnered Golden Globe, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award and SAG Award nominations for his role in the Oscar(R)-winning Best Picture The Departed, directed by Scorsese. e also shared in a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast Performance as a member of the ensemble cast of The Departed.

He previously earned an Academy Award(R) nomination for his performance in Scorsese's acclaimed 2004 biopic The Aviator. DiCaprio's portrayal of Howard Hughes in that film also brought him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama, as well as Critics' Choice and BAFTA Award nominations. He was also honored with two SAG Award nominations, one for Best Actor and another for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast Performance as part of the The Aviator cast.

In addition to his acting work, DiCaprio created his own production company, Appian Way. Under the Appian Way banner, he wrote, produced and narrated the acclaimed environmentally themed documentary The 11th Hour. Among Appian Way's other productions are the aforementioned Shutter Island and The Aviator, as well as Orphan, Public Enemies, Gardener of Eden, and The Assassination of Richard Nixon.

Born in Hollywood, California, DiCaprio started acting at the age of 14. His breakthrough feature film role came in Michael Caton-Jones' 1993 screen adaptation of Tobias Wolff's autobiographical drama This Boy's Life. That same year, he co-starred in Lasse Hallström's What's Eating Gilbert Grape, earning his first Oscar(R) and Golden Globe nominations for his performance as a mentally handicapped young man. In addition, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's New Generation Award for his work in the film.

In 1995, DiCaprio had starring roles in three very different films, beginning with Sam Raimi's Western The Quick and the Dead. He also garnered praise for his performance as drug addict Jim Carroll in the harrowing drama The Basketball Diaries, and for his portrayal of disturbed pansexual poet Arthur Rimbaud in Agnieszka Holland's Total Eclipse. The following year, DiCaprio starred in Baz Luhrmann's contemporary screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. He also joined an all-star ensemble cast in Marvin's Room, sharing in a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast Performance.

In 1997, DiCaprio starred opposite Kate Winslet in the blockbuster Titanic, for which he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination. The film shattered every box office record on its way to winning 11 Oscars(R), including Best Picture. His subsequent film work includes dual roles in The Man in the Iron Mask, The Beach, Woody Allen's Celebrity, Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can, receiving a Golden Globe nomination; Gangs of New York, which was his first film for director Martin Scorsese; Ridley Scott's Body of Lies, and Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road, which reunited DiCaprio with Winslet and brought him his seventh Golden Globe nomination.

DiCaprio is well known for his dedication to the environment on a global scale. By launching The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, producing creative projects such as the documentary 11th Hour, and spearheading numerous public awareness campaigns with select organizations, he has helped foster awareness and action on environmental issues. Additionally, DiCaprio serves on the boards of World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and International Fund for Animal Welfare.

With his partner Guy East, Exclusive Media Group's Co-Chairman and CEO NIGEL SINCLAIR (Executive Producer) launched their independent feature film and television production company, Spitfire Pictures, in early 2003. Prior to starting Spitfire, Sinclair and East co-founded Intermedia Films (in 1996), one of the world's leading independent producers.

Most recently, Sinclair served as executive producer on the horror-drama Let Me In, The Resident, starring Hilary Swank, the critically acclaimed The Way Back, and Possession, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Other recent credits include the documentaries Living in the Material World: George Harrison and The Last Play at Shea.

In May 2007, East and Sinclair joined the board of Hammer Films as non-executive directors, following the signature of Spitfire's first-look development and production pact with the newly revived British horror studio. Also released worldwide in 2007 in collaboration with Universal Pictures was Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who, with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, the surviving members of the seminal rock band.

In 2005, Sinclair produced - with Jeff Rosen, Susan Lacy, Anthony Wall, and Martin Scorsese - the critically acclaimed No Direction Home: Bob Dylan. Directed by Scorsese, this project was released worldwide in September 2005.

In 2002, Sinclair produced, with Jeff Rosen, Bob Dylan's Masked and Anonymous, directed by Larry Charles and starring Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Jessica Lange and Luke Wilson.

In 2001, Sinclair's Intermedia Films produced two of the year's number one films in the U.S: K-PAX, starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, and The Wedding Planner, starring Jennifer Lopez, on which Sinclair also served as an executive producer. Other recent productions on which he served as executive producer include Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Academy Award-winning Adaptation, starring Nicolas Cage, Iris, starring Dame Judi Dench, the Academy Award(R) and Golden Globe-nominated The Quiet American, starring Michael Caine, the Academy Award-nominated Hilary and Jackie, starring Emily Watson, K-19: The Widowmaker, starring Harrison Ford, ``Enigma, starring Kate Winslet, and Sliding Doors, starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

Sinclair attended Cambridge University in the U.K., and earned a Master of Law from Columbia University in New York. He practiced law initially in England, and subsequently in Los Angeles with the London firm of Denton Hall Burgin & Warrens (now Denton Wilde Sapte). In 1989, Sinclair co-founded a Los Angeles entertainment law firm, Sinclair Tennenbaum & Co., working with leading talent and entertainment corporate clients, until 1996 when he left to found Intermedia, as noted above.

Sinclair currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British Film Office in Los Angeles. In 2000, Queen Elizabeth appointed him a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his work in the film industry.

GUY EAST (Executive Producer) is Co-Chairman of Exclusive Media Group and Chairman of Exclusive Films International. With his partner, Nigel Sinclair, he launched their independent production company, Spitfire Pictures, in early 2003. Prior to starting Spitfire, East and Sinclair co-founded Intermedia Films in 1996, one of the world's leading independent producers and distributors of motion pictures.

In May 2007, East and Sinclair joined the board of Hammer Films following signature of Spitfire's first-look development and production pact with the newly revived British studio.

In 2008, Spitfire was acquired by strategic investment group Cyrte Investments, and together with Hammer became part of the newly formed Exclusive Media Group.

East's recent producer credits include Let Me In, directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield); The Resident, starring Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee; and The Way Back, directed by Peter Weir and starring Colin Farrell and Ed Harris.

For Spitfire Pictures, East's executive producer credits include the Grammy-nominated Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who, the Grammy-winning No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, directed by Martin Scorsese; and Masked and Anonymous, starring Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Jessica Lange and Luke Wilson.

In 2001, East's Intermedia Films produced two of the year's number one films in the U.S: K-PAX, starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, and The Wedding Planner, starring Jennifer Lopez, on which East also served as an executive producer. Other recent productions on which he served as executive producer include Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Academy Award-winning Adaptation, starring Nicolas Cage, Iris, starring Dame Judi Dench, the Academy Award(R) and Golden Globe-nominated The Quiet American, starring Michael Caine, the Academy Award(R)-nominated Hilary and Jackie, starring Emily Watson, K-19: The Widowmaker, starring Harrison Ford, Enigma, starring Kate Winslet, and Sliding Doors, starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

Prior to co-founding Intermedia, East founded Majestic Films International, whose films were nominated for 34 Academy Awards(R), winning a total of 15, including two Best Picture awards for Dances with Wolves and Driving Miss Daisy. East was previously Director of Distribution and Marketing at Goldcrest Films International, where he was responsible for the international distribution of such Academy Award(R)-winning films as The Killing Fields, The Mission, A Room with a View, and The Name of the Rose. Additionally, East served as Managing Director of Carolco Films International.

East attended the University of Exeter in England, where he studied English and EEC law; he qualified as a lawyer at Slaughter & May. In 1985 he was elected as the first British director of the American Film Marketing Association.

STEPHEN PEVNER (Executive Producer) started his career as an independent motion picture and theatrical literary agent/manager representing some of the most culturally relevant writers/ filmmakers of his generation including Richard Linklater, Gregg Araki and Todd Solondz. Beginning in 1995, Pevner produced the premiere productions of his playwright client Eve Ensler's ``The Vagina Monologues, which went on to win a 1996 Obie Award before being hailed as a bone-fide phenomenon across the world stage. The following year, Pevner helped launch the career of playwright client Neil LaBute by producing his first feature film, In the Company of Men, winner of the Filmmakers' Trophy at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, Independent Spirit Award and New York Film Critics Award for Best First Feature Film.

While serving as executive producer of LaBute's follow-up movies, Your Friends and Neighbors, Nurse Betty, and Possession, Pevner served as the impresario behind New York City's longest-running and largest underground dance parties via his company The Saint At Large(C). At the helm of these most storied and celebrated dance parties, Pevner continues to work with and introduce a stable of the highest caliber musical talent to New York audiences including the producing New York concert debuts of Jennifer Hudson (2006) and Róisín Murphy (2008).

In 1999, Pevner introduced theater audiences to LaBute as lead producer of ``Bash (Off-Broadway, LA, London). Starring Calista Flockhart, Paul Rudd, Ron Eldard and directed by Joe Mantello, the play was filmed live as a Showtime presentation (winner of Jury Award for Best Television Movie at Canadian Banff Awards) and Named Top 5 Shows of the Year by Time magazine.

In 2003, Pevner produced the smash hit Hollywood send-up, ``Matt & Ben, written by and starring Mindy Kaling (``The Office, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and Brenda Withers. With sit-down productions Off Broadway, Los Angeles, Chicago and a National Tour, the play made Time's Top 10 for 2003.

In 2004, Pevner commissioned an original screenplay from a young Columbia Univ. politico, Beau Willimon, on which the play ``Farragut North is based. Staged to much acclaim at The Atlantic Theater Company and The Geffen Playhouse with Chris Noth and Chris Pine, the production was included in Time's Top 10 for 2008. It was this play that was adapted into The Ides of March.

This past Spring, Pevner produced Caligula Maximus - featuring Kayvon Zand, a musical disco circus showcasing a host of New York's most celebrated nightlife talent. The genre-breaking show was preceded in 2007 by Schwarzwald - the movie you can dance to, a motion picture incorporating multi-screen projection, live performance and a continuous dance mix. The film installation continues to screen in film and art festivals and nightclubs around the world. In addition to developing other theater and film projects, he is lead producer of the Broadway-bound theatrical production of Tony Award nominee Neil LaBute's ``In the Company of Men.

A native of Houma, Louisiana, TODD THOMPSON (Executive Producer) is a fourth generation oil and gas business executive.

From 2006 to 2008, Thompson was instrumental in the startup and development of Highland Transportation, a family-owned transportation company based out of Louisiana. In 2008, Thompson decided to branch out of the family's oil and gas business to pursue a career in the film industry.

Thompson, with the help of his family, formed Cross Creek Pictures, a production company based in Los Angeles, with offices in Memphis, Houston and Houma. In addition to forming Cross Creek Pictures, Thompson assisted in raising a private equity fund, which would be used to fund all of the films under Cross Creek Pictures.

Cross Creek Pictures' first release was Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, starring Oscar winner Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Black Swan grossed $275 million worldwide and was nominated for five Academy Awards(R). Cross Creek Pictures' next release will be The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe and slated for release in fall 2011.

NINA WOLARSKY (Executive Producer) is the Senior Vice President of George Clooney and Grant Heslov's Smokehouse Pictures, where she oversees the company's slate of projects in development. She joined Smokehouse at its start in 2006 and has been responsible for projects including the upcoming feature Argo (executive producer), which will be directed by Ben Affleck from a screenplay by Chris Terrio, and the upcoming feature Our Brand is Crisis (executive producer), among others.

Previously, Wolarsky worked as Vice President of Development and Production at Hart Sharp Entertainment (Boys Don't Cry, You Can Count on Me), where her most recent credit was for the Academy Award(R)-nominated film Revolutionary Road (co-executive producer). Wolarsky began her career as a book scout in New York City and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

JENNIFER DAVISSON KILLORAN (Executive Producer) is president of production at Leonardo DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way. Most recently, she produced Red Riding Hood and the thriller Orphan. Killoran is currently prepping a live action version of the classic anime Akira. She is also developing The Wolf of Wall Street, based on the memoir of a notorious Wall Street trader, along with a wide range of other projects.

On the small screen, Killoran served as co-executive producer on the highly acclaimed docu-series ``Greensburg, in which the town of Greensburg, Kansas, rebuilt itself ``green after being leveled by a devastating tornado.

In addition to working at Appian Way, Killoran has been a talent manager alongside Rick Yorn for the past 11 years.

BARBARA A. HALL (Executive Producer) has an extensive list of feature film credits to her name. The Ides of March is her fourth film with George Clooney. She also worked with him on The Men Who Stare at Goats and Leatherheads (as executive producer) and Good Night, and Good Luck. (as co-producer).

Hall's credits as executive producer include Hanna, All Good Things, The Company Men, Milk, and Art School Confidential. She also executive produced the HBO movie ``The Sunset Limited.

Hall served as co-producer or line producer on Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Ray, Ghost World, and Albino Alligator. She began her career as a production coordinator on such films as City Slickers, The Mambo Kings, and Benny & Joon.

PHEDON PAPAMICHAEL, ASC (Director of Photography) an award winning director and cinematographer, was born in Athens, Greece and moved with his family to Germany, where in 1982 he completed his education in fine arts in Munich. Working as a photojournalist brought Papamichael to New York City in 1983, where he started crossing over into cinematography.

His first feature film, the 35mm black and white Spud, earned him the award for Best Cinematography at the Cork Film Festival, Ireland. Following a call from John Cassavetes, his cousin and later collaborator, Papamichael moved to Los Angeles. While continuing to work on short and experimental films, he began his feature career as a director of photography for Roger Corman, for whom he photographed seven films within two years.

Papamichael now counts 44 feature films to his credit as director of photography, including the early blockbusters America's Sweethearts, starring Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mouse Hunt, Patch Adams, starring Robin Williams, and Phenomenon, starring John Travolta and directed by Jon Turteltaub, for whom he also shot While You Were Sleeping and Cool Runnings.

His credits include many critically acclaimed and award-winning films, such as Unstrung Heroes (Un Certain Regard, Cannes 1995), directed by Diane Keaton, Unhook the Stars, starring Gena Rowlands and directed by Nick Cassavetes, and The Locusts (Mezzogiorno, Venice Film Festival 1997). The Million Dollar Hotel, directed by Wim Wenders, and 27 Missing Kisses are also among his credits.

In 2001, Papamichael shot Moonlight Mile (Berlinale, 2003), directed by Brad Silberling, starring Academy Award(R) winners Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon and Holly Hunter. It was followed by Identity, directed by James Mangold, and the Oscar(R)-nominated Sideways (Academy Award(R) winner for Best Screenplay and nominee for Best Picture), directed by Alexander Payne.

The list continues with his second Gore Verbinski collaboration The Weather Man, starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Caine, and Walk the Line, again directed by Mangold and starring Joaquin Phoenix, who was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award(R) and Reese Witherspoon, who won an Academy Award(R) for her performance. It also won the Golden Frog at Cameraimage (President's Award 2005) for Best Cinematography.

More recently Papamichael shot the critically acclaimed Western 3:10 to Yuma, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, 10 Items or Less, directed by Brad Silberling, starring Morgan Freeman, The Pursuit of Happyness, for which Will Smith received an Academy Award nomination, and Oliver Stone's W. He also served as DP on the Alexander Payne film The Descendants, starring George Clooney, which is set for release in 2011.

He returned to directing in 2007 with the psychological horror film From Within, starring Adam Goldberg, Thomas Dekker and Jared Harris, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2008, and has won a total of seven awards, including the 2008 Solstice Film Festival Grand Jury Award.

Papamichael's fourth directing endeavor, Arcadia Lost, starring Nick Nolte and Haley Bennett, is currently on the festival circuit, having been selected by 11 international film festivals. It was filmed entirely on location in Greece in 2008. Currently he is in post-production on his most recent directorial assignment, City of Jerks, starring Joelle Carter, and renewing his collaboration with Adam Goldberg, Seymour Cassel, Mark Boon Junior and Kelly Blatz.

In addition to his feature work, Papamichael has shot and directed over 100 commercials for such clients as BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Cadillac, Nissan, Allstate, Goodyear, McDonalds and many others.

His work also includes several ventures into television. Oliver Stone's innovative miniseries ``Wild Palms received a 1993 ASC Award nomination for Best Cinematography. The Francis Ford Coppola-produced pilots ``The Conversation and ``White Dwarf followed, the latter earning him his second ASC Award nomination in 1995. On the music video side, his work as cinematographer includes collaborations with U2, Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry and Pearl Jam. He also worked on the Grammy-nominated long-format video for ``Willie Nelson at the Teatro, directed by Wim Wenders. Papamichael was also the Visual Supervisor for the Academy Award-nominated ``Buena Vista Social Club, also directed by Wenders.

Papamichael's many international awards include the Orpheus Career Achievement Award given by the LAGFF in 2010. He was accepted as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1997, where he served several years on the Cinematographers Branch Executive Committee. Papamichael is also a member of The American Society of Cinematographers and the International Cinematographers Guild.

Papamichael resides in Los Angeles and Athens, Greece and speaks English, German, French and Greek. He holds German, Greek and U.S. citizenship.

SHARON SEYMOUR (Production Designer) was most recently nominated for an Art Directors Guild award for designing Ben Affleck's The Town. Her design work can also be seen in The Men Who Stare at Goats and Affleck's Gone Baby Gone. Other credits include Friday Night Lights, Bad Santa, The Truth about Cats and Dogs and Don Juan DeMarco.

Coming from a theater background, Seymour graduated from Ithaca College and moved to New York City. A job on George Romero's Creepshow led her to Los Angeles and a master's degree in production design at the American Film Institute. She then established herself as a designer on ``The Ben Stiller Show, followed by Reality Bites and The Cable Guy.

The Ides of March marks STEPHEN MIRRIONE, A.C.E.'s (Editor) fourth collaboration with George Clooney, having previously edited the romantic comedy Leatherheads, the highly acclaimed Good Night, and Good Luck. - which earned Mirrione editing nominations from BAFTA and the American Cinema Editors - and Clooney's directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

In 2001, Mirrione received an Academy Award for his work on Traffic, his first collaboration with Steven Soderbergh, for whom he just completed editing Contagion. He previously edited Soderbergh's ``The Informant! as well as his trilogy, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, and Ocean's Thirteen.

Mirrione recently reteamed with director Alejandro González Iñárritu on the Oscar(R)-nominated Best Foreign Language Film entry from Mexico, Biutiful, starring Javier Bardem. In 2007, Mirrione garnered his second Academy Award(R) nomination for his work on Iñárritu's Babel, which premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, winning Mirrione the Vulcain Artist-Technician Award. He won the American Cinema Editors Award for his work on ``Babel as well as a BAFTA nomination. In 2004, he earned a BAFTA nomination for editing 21 Grams, also directed by González Iñárritu.

Most recently, Mirrione edited Jill Sprecher's The Convincer, his third film with the director following their collaboration on Clockwatchers and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing. Other editing credits include Doug Liman's Swingers and Go.

LOUISE FROGLEY (Costume Designer) has received Excellence in Costume Design for Film (Contemporary) nominations for both Ocean's Thirteen and Traffic. She also collaborated with Steven Soderbergh on the films The Good German and The Limey.

In 2006, Frogley's designs for Good Night, and Good Luck., directed by George Clooney, earned her a Costume Designers Guild nomination for Excellence in Costume Design for a Period Film. In 2008, she again collaborated with Clooney on the period romantic comedy Leatherheads, which he directed and starred in.

For her work on Stephen Gaghan's Syriana, she received the Guild's nomination for Excellence in a Contemporary Film. She had previously collaborated with Gaghan on his feature film directorial debut, Abandon.

More recently Frogley designed the costumes for Robert Redford's period drama The Conspirator, Julie Anne Robinson's The Last Song, starring Miley Cyrus, Grant Heslov's feature directorial debut The Men Who Stare at Goats, starring George Clooney, and the James Bond film Quantum of Solace directed by Marc Forster and starring Daniel Craig.

Her costumes were also seen in the romantic thriller Skeleton Key starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands and John Hurt and the horror-fantasy Constantine, based on the comic book ``Hellblazer and starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz.

Her first movie assignment was as assistant costume designer on Hugh Hudson's Academy Award(R)-winning film Chariots of Fire. Since that initial foray into cinema, Frogley has dressed over 20 features including the romantic thriller Spy Game and Man on Fire for director Tony Scott; Stigmata, U.S. Marshals, Ron Shelton's Bull Durham, and Neil Jordan's Mona Lisa, among others.

Born in Britain, Frogley spent her childhood commuting from school in England to her family's home in Kenya. She has been based in Los Angeles for the past 20 years.

"Academy Award(R)" and "Oscar(R)" are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

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