Kris Kristofferson Lands Presidential Role
“Country star. Movie star. Lone Star.” Those were the words written under Kris Kristofferson‘s name on the April 25, 1974 cover of Rolling Stone. Forty years later, not much has changed. The now-country music icon has film credits a mile long – he’s appeared in either a movie, documentary or TV show every year since 1984 – and was a Golden Globe winner for Best Actor in 1976’s A Star Is Born. As for that “Lone Star” reference, it was just a nod to his home state back then, but Kristofferson went on to play a corrupt sheriff in the Oscar-nominated 1996 movie, Lone Star, and is now set to portray a more law-abiding character in the upcoming miniseries about the aquisition of the Lone Star state, Texas Rising.
Kristoferson has been tapped to play President Andrew Jackson in an eight-hour television event centered around the Texas revolution from Mexico in 1835. The seventh president of the United States was a champion of American emigrants to Texas who eventually won independence from Mexico.
“This iconic story and role really needed an American who is able to command the screen and captivate audiences,” executive producer Leslie Greif tells the Hollywood Reporter. “For me, Kris was an obvious choice. There aren’t too many actors that are able to embody this character and the stature, strength and liberty to play the part.”
Also starring in Texas Rising are Brendan Fraser, Ray Liotta, Olivier Martinez, Chad Michael Murray and Michael Rapaport. The miniseries will air on the History Channel sometime next year.