State of Play (film) - Cast

Cast

• Russell Crowe plays Cal McAffrey. The character is a "road smart" reporter, described by Kevin Macdonald as " the old world journalist, the shining knight who is after the truth".
• Ben Affleck plays Congressman Stephen Collins.
• Rachel McAdams plays Della Frye, a popular blogger turned junior political reporter who finds herself in the midst of the career-making story. She is being mentored by Crowe's character, but they have different opinions about presenting the story. Crowe said McCaffrey is more concerned with the corporate viewpoint, with Frye seeing it from a more personal position: "There's a consistent battle between the two of us to try and find out which one of those points of views is right." McAdams said she was fascinated with the evolution of journalism in the United States, and that she said she was curious to examine whether her character's "new breed" of journalism was as accurate as more traditional forms. McAdams visited The Washington Post in October 2007 in order to research the role. However, she based her look on Baltimore Sun reporter Julie Bykowicz after viewing photos of reporters there.
• Helen Mirren plays Cameron Lynne. Mirren was cast as the ruthless editor of the Washington Globe (the newspaper investigating the story) in September 2007. Producer Andrew Hauptman said of the character, "She's the one in control... she makes it known that she's strong, old school—a real Fleet Street type." Mirren indicated that Lynne would be English. The delay to the production caused by Brad Pitt's departure (see "Casting" below) initially put Mirren's participation in doubt, as she was due to appear in the film Love Ranch for husband Taylor Hackford in March 2008, but a revised production date enabled her to remain attached to the project.
• Jason Bateman plays Dominic Foy, a wealthy public relations executive who is a pill popping bisexual who has information that Crowe's character wants. Bateman said the role was "about a 15-page segment of the film" and that Foy "goes from A to Z in 15 pages". he primarily wears leather, and has an OxyContin addiction. None of these elements were present in the original. McAdams said Bateman was "experimenting with his dark side" with the character, but that "it has a lot of humor".
• Michael Berresse plays Robert Bingham, a "sociopathic assassin", whom Berresse called "the darkest character in the movie". The role is Berresse's largest of his film acting career.
• Robin Wright Penn as Anne Collins, Stephen Collins' estranged wife
• Jeff Daniels as Representative and Majority Whip George Fergus.
• Maria Thayer as Sonia Baker. The investigation of her murder at the beginning of the movie is the central plot point.
• Rob Benedict as Milt.
• Harry Lennix as Detective Donald Bell.
• Viola Davis as Dr. Judith Franklin, a pathologist and friend of Cal's.