Lee Daniels' The Butler Movie Cast, Plot and Everything to Know

Plot

The Butler is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Forest Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years. From this unique vantage point, The Butler traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.

Cited as official plot version from deadline.com

Biography Drama Historical True Story

• 
  Oprah Winfrey

  ... Ms. Allen

  The Princess and the Frog, The Six Triple Eight

• 
  David Oyelowo

  ... Louis Gaines

  Interstellar, Lincoln

• 
  John Cusack

  ... Richard Nixon

  Fog of War, 2012

• 
  Forest Whitaker

  ... Eugene Allen

  The King of Kings, Arrival

• J
  Jane Fonda

  ... Nancy Reagan

  Moving On , Book Club: The Next Chapter

• 
  Terrence Howard

  ... Howard

  Iron Man, Prisoners

• A
  Alan Rickman

  ... Ronald Reagan

  Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

• J
  Jesse Williams

  ... Rev. James Lawson

  Secret Headquarters, The Cabin in the Woods

• 
  Colman Domingo

  ... Freddie Fallows

  The Running Man, Dead Man's Wire

• C
  Cuba Gooding Jr.

  ... Carter Wilson

  Atlas King, Pearl Harbor

• L
  Lenny Kravitz

  ... James Holloway

  The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

• 
  Alex Pettyfer

  ... Thomas Westfall

  Under the Stars, In Time

Who is making Lee Daniels' The Butler – Crew List

A look at Lee Daniels' The Butler behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director Lee Daniels last helmed The Deliverance and The United States vs. Billie Holiday. The film's writer Lee Daniels last penned The Paperboy and Anna in the Tropics.

Director

Lee Daniels

Screenwriters

Lee Daniels
Danny Strong

Producers

Lee Daniels
Cassian Elwes
Buddy Patrick
Hilary Shor
Pamela Oas Williams

Production – What we know about the Lee Daniels' The Butler

Copy link to Production – What we know about the Lee Daniels' The Butler

Key Facts

• Based on a Washington Post article. As director Lee Daniels explains, ""What moves me most about this man is his quiet nature, grace and unmatched perspective that comes from being in one place – a very powerful one – during what was arguably the period in American history that saw the most change".

Movie Filming Timeline: Production Status Updates

Jul 2013

Completed

Changed Lee Daniels' The Butler movie production status. The movie is ready for release.

Mar 2012

Pre-Production

Changed the movie production status to Pre-Production. Financing should be figured out shortly with a plan to begin shooting this summer.

Jul 2010

Development

Changed the movie production status to Development. The movie is likely in scripting, budgeting, or stuck in 'development hell.'

Nov 2008

Announced

Changed the movie production status to Announced. Preparations are underway to start production.

Dec 2004

Post-Production

Changed the movie production status to Post-Production. The movie is now in the editing and finishing stages.

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Additional Information

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Official Links

• Official Site

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