Homeland star Tracy Letts fought against Ewan McGregor and Benedict Cumberbatch being cast in the film version of his hit play August: Osage County — but now admits he was wrong.
Letts, 48, who plays Senator Andrew Lockhart in the TV CIA thriller, told the Standard he battled with movie mogul Harvey Weinstein over who should join Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts in the film adaptation.
The actor-writer, who is about to open a new play in London, said his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama August was “a profoundly American piece”.
It sent “the wrong message” if stars such as Dame Judi Dench were cast so the production seemed “international”, he said, but conceded: “I was quite glad I lost the fight.” Cumberbatch plays Streep’s grandson and McGregor plays Roberts’s husband. Letts said they “both do a great job”.
He said he was “thrilled” about the UK premiere of his next work, Superior Donuts, which he began writing as soon as August: Osage County opened on Broadway.
August was inspired by his grandfather, who committed suicide. His grandmother, who was addicted to prescription drugs, inspired Streep’s character. Letts’s father, Dennis, performed in the plays but was diagnosed with cancer during the run and died.
Letts said: “When I started work on Superior Donuts I just couldn’t write anything pessimistic.”
His only fear is that the story of the power of friendship might be “too sentimental” for London.
Superior Donuts is at the Southwark Playhouse from February 11 to March 6. southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
