Thank You For Smoking (film) - Cast

Cast

• Aaron Eckhart as Nick Naylor, a smooth talking spokesmen for the Academy of Tobacco studies. Naylor uses spin to win over the accusers of Big Tobacco and tries to convince the world that smoking is not conclusively unhealthy.
• Cameron Bright as Joey Naylor, Nick's son who is in many ways just as clever as Nick.
• Katie Holmes as Heather Holloway, an attractive reporter for the Washington Probe with whom Nick has a brief sexual relationship, which comes back to haunt him.
• Maria Bello as Polly Bailey, a member of the MOD Squad and a spokeswoman for the alcohol industry.
• David Koechner as Bobby Jay Bliss, a member of the MOD Squad, and a spokesman for S.A.F.E.T.Y (Society for the Advancement of Firearms and Effective Training for Youth).
• William H. Macy as Senator Ortolan Finistirre, a liberal Democratic senator from Vermont who is trying to get the skull and bones picture put on cigarette packs.
• Robert Duvall as the Captain, the founder of The Academy for Tobacco Studies. He came up with idea of putting filters on cigarettes, which saved the tobacco industry.
• J.K. Simmons as "BR", Nick's boss at the Academy. BR is a Vietnam veteran and his actual name is never revealed because, according to Nick, the only people who know what "BR" stands for were killed in Vietnam.
• Marianne Muellerleile as Joey's school teacher.
• Kim Dickens as Jill Naylor, Nick's ex wife.
• Rob Lowe as Jeff Megall, a Hollywood super-agent.
• Adam Brody as Jack, Jeff Megell's enthusiastic assistant.
• Sam Elliott as Lorne Lutch, the original Marlboro Man who is dying of cancer.

Director Jason Reitman asked many of his prospective actors and actresses to be in the film by writing each of them a personal letter. Every one of his first choices accepted their part and most thanked Reitman for his letter. Reitman was also able to persuade Eckhart, Holmes, Macy, and Lowe to sign on to the film with minimum pay.