America’s favorite television comedy star – Ray Romano – and one of the most acclaimed actors in motion picture history – Gene Hackman – fight it out for love and small-town glory in WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT.
Renowned for his many dramatic performances in films such as “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven,” two-time Academy Award® winner Gene Hackman has proven equally adept in comedies such as “The Birdcage” and “Get Shorty.” The laughs in Oscar®-winner Tom Schulman’s screenplay (based on a story by Doug Richardson) proved irresistible for the actor. “Comedy is hard, if not harder, than dramatic roles because comedy is not arbitrary,” says Hackman. “It’s either funny or it isn’t. “WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT is a flat-out comedy and that appealed to me.”
Hackman describes his character, President Monroe “Eagle” Cole as “a comedic view of what we think of as politicians. He’s self-centered, arrogant and full of himself. He’s a typical politician, or at least how we imagine a typical politician to be. We’ve seen so many shots of Presidents in the news that I think we have a generalized sense of how a statesman should act. However, this character is not very statesman-like at times, and that, of course, is a lot of the fun in playing him.”
Director Donald Petrie, who helmed the comedies “Miss Congeniality” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” says Hackman was perfect for the role. “You totally believe that Gene is the President of the United States,” says Petrie. “He has the command and authority, and he can be intimidating. On the other hand, Gene has a sense of comedy that is unparalleled. He can take himself so seriously that it’s funny, and he can stretch that point of reality but still always be completely real and in the moment. There’s never a false moment, it’s never comedy for comedy’s sake. It’s the reality of the moment and that’s what he plays so wonderfully.”
Eagle’s opponent isn’t a seasoned political operative – he’s friendly hardware store owner Harold “Handy” Harrison. The role was a natural fit for Ray Romano, so beloved for his work on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” “Ray was the standout first and only choice to play the role of Handy Harrision,” states Petrie. “He’s very much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy, not unlike his character, and that’s what makes him so perfect for this role – he’s a likable, easy-going guy and it’s very easy for people to relate to him.”
Following his feature film debut as the voice of Manny in the animated box office smash “Ice Age,” Romano was searching for a live-action follow-up. He didn’t want a carbon copy of his television alter ego, “Ray Barone,” but he also didn’t want to stray too far from what he does best: comedy. “I didn’t want to play Ray,” he says, “and I didn’t want to play a psycho killer either. I was looking for a project where I could do something a little different, but at the same time, wouldn’t shock the audience – at least, not yet. The role of Handy Harrison was a comfortable fit.”
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