Tom Hanks, aka America’s Dad, continues to be just an awesome guy and to also continue his mission to constantly win over everyone’s heart. Hanks has signed up to play the role of a person that has a strong staple in any millennials cold dead heart…Mr. Rogers.
Entertainment Weekly is reporting that the actor will play the role of Fred Rogers in the drama You Are My Friend and will be based on the relationship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. The journalist got to know the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood star while writing a profile about the children’s television pioneer in 1998.
TriStar Pictures gave an announcement of the project on Monday and the film is being described as a heart warmer, in which a cynical journalist reluctantly is given an assignment to write a profile piece on the beloved icon.
The president of TriStar Pictures, Hannah Minghella said that their intentions with the film was “to remind us all of the transformative power of kindness and respect to heal and to unite.”
Marielle Heller, who directed Diary of a Teenage Girl, is set to direct the film from screenplay writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster who both wrote on Amazon’s multiple award-winning show Transparent. Big Beach is set to produce the film, but no release date has been set yet.
Heller spoke about the script:
“The script knocked me out with its message of kindness and its exploration of the human spirit,” Heller said. “As a mother, I am so inspired by the teachings of Fred Rogers and as a human I am in awe of his life’s work. I can’t wait to bring his story to the public and be a part of such a thoughtful, smart group of people who are all coming together to make this film, which truly feels to me like an antidote to our very fractured culture.”
Are you guys ready to relive a time in your childhood when hope was still around? Let us know what you think!