Tom Hanks gives the appearance as being the nicest man in Hollywood. Fred Rogers presented himself as being the nicest person who ever lived. So the former being cast as the latter on You Are My Friend, the film biography of Fred Rogers, might be the best casting of any movie, ever.
You Are My Friend details the unlikely friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod that developed after Junod was assigned to do a cover story for the children’s show host for Esquire magazine in 1998.
The film was acquired by TriStar and The Diary of a Teenage Girl director Marielle Heller has been tapped to direct the film from the 2013 Blacklist screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.
For my generation, Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was an indelible part of our childhoods. Our generation also watched Tom Hanks’ career grow from bit player to sitcom star to box-office draw to Oscar winner. So, needless to say, this casting in this project is a cause for excitement.
