ABC/Ida Mae Astute(NEW YORK) — Turns out Will Ferrell won’t be starring in an upcoming comedy about former President Ronald Reagan. His rep tells ABC News Ferrell “is not pursuing” the movie role.
It was reported this week that Ferrell had been cast in Reagan. The story was said to begin at the start of Reagan’s second term, when he falls into dementia and an intern must convince him he’s an actor playing the president in a movie. Ferrell was also said to be producing the project. Reagan suffered from Alzheimer’s disease after his presidency, and died in 2004.
In a statement to ABC News, Ferrell’s rep says, “The Reagan script is one of a number of scripts that had been submitted to Will Ferrell which he had considered. While it is by no means a ‘Alzheimer’s comedy’ as has been suggested, Mr. Ferrell is not pursuing this project.”
Reagan’s children Michael Reagan and Patti Davis were chief among those who were quick to condemn the news, the former tweeting, “Alheimers is not a comedy it robs you then it kills you.” Michael’s half-sister Davis posted an open letter on her website, writing to Ferrell, in part, “Perhaps you have managed to retain some ignorance about Alzheimer’s and other versions of dementia. Perhaps if you knew more, you would not find the subject humorous.”
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