‘Little Miss Sunshine’ Directors To Make Mister Rogers Movie
By Germain Lussier/Sept. 27, 2013 11:00 am EST
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That tale of camaraderie juxtaposed with the life of a TV icon is the story of Madigan’s book I’m Proud of You which is now being turned into a movie. It’ll be helmed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris who directed the Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine as well as last year’s underrated Ruby Sparks.
The Wrap broke the news of the film, which will be written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster (The Motel Life).
The idea of learning about this incredibly famous man, through the eyes of a flawed man, and how their friendship changed one another sounds like a unique spin on the biopic. Casting is key of course. Who would possibly play Rogers?
Fred Rogers, the “gentle icon” of public television’s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, taught generations of children and their parents how to express feelings and relate to others in a positive way. Rogers was also an ordained Presbyterian minister who regularly studied the important spiritual thinkers and shared his faith with an eclectic range of adult friends. Madigan, a journalist with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, became one of those friends after writing a piece on Rogers and Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) in 1995. Soon Madigan and Rogers were corresponding, and Madigan reprints here many of their letters and e-mails. They built a warm, supportive friendship, one that nourished Madigan through his self-doubt “Furies” and the difficult death of his dear brother. As Rogers grieved for Madigan’s losses and several of his own, the two taught each other about the beauty of giving and receiving “unconditional regard” from a beloved friend. So close did they become that readers may share Madigan’s shock at discovering that Rogers was gravely ill—too weak for a last visit before his death in 2003.
