The Rumors Are Over! Diane Lane To Play Hillary Clinton in New Biopic

After several names had been tossed up for consideration, NBC execs announced that Diane Lane will take the title role in the new miniseries, Hillary.

Hilary Clinton Diane Lane
(Image credit: Marie Claire)

Ever since news broke a of Hillary Clinton biopic mini-series, rumors have been swirling about who would land the coveted role of the former first lady turned senator turned presidential candidate turned Secretary of State (that's a lot of titles!). From Carey Mulligan to Jessica Chastain, names have risen to the forefront of the rumor mill to be promptly shut down by the actress in question soon after. But now, we have our answer! NBC's president Bob Greenblatt confirmed on Saturday that the four-hour miniseries would feature Diane Lane in the title role.

The miniseries will focus on Clinton's life post-White House years, and will chronicle her role as a New York Senator, her presidential campaign, and her time as Secretary of State. While we may love Mulligan, it's difficult to imagine a doe-eyed 28-year-old tackling the role of Clinton coming into her political own. Lane's acting chops and natural strength make her a perfect fit for the part.

As for more news on the mini-series, which will be titled Hillary, we're going to have to wait and see. According to Greenblatt, the script has not been written and the next biggest question, who will play President Bill Clinton, has yet to be answered. The only other detail that's been given is that the made-for-TV biopic will premiere before the 2016 presidential campaign—regardless of whether or not Clinton chooses to run. NBC isn't the only one trying to cash in on Clinton's increasingly-likely presidential run: CNN just announced a new documentary about Clinton, and a feature film, Rodham, is in the works about the life of a young Hillary. Stay tuned to MC—we're waiting with baited breath for more details!

Diana Pearl
Editor

I'm an Associate Editor at the Business of Fashion, where I edit and write stories about the fashion and beauty industries. Previously, I was the brand editor at Adweek, where I was the lead editor for Adweek's brand and retail coverage. Before my switch to business journalism, I was a writer/reporter at PEOPLE.com, where I wrote news posts, galleries and articles for PEOPLE magazine's website. My work has been published on TheAtlantic.com, ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, PEOPLE.com, GoodHousekeeping.com and in Every Day with Rachael Ray. It has been syndicated by Cosmopolitan.com, TIME.com, TravelandLeisure.com and GoodHousekeeping.com, among other publications. Previously, I've worked at VOGUE.com, ELLE.com, and MarieClaire.com.