Commander-in-Chief with Rod Lurie

Join us Thursday, March 6 at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET for "Commander-in-Chief," a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at presidential portrayals in film and television and how they shape public perception.

Director, screenwriter, and showrunner, Rod Lurie will discuss the creation and portrayal of "Commander in Chief’s" fictional President Mackenzie Allen, played by actress Geena Davis, as well as the development of the film "The Contender," which featured Joan Allen as Vice Presidential nominee Laine Hanson.

This program is held in conjunction with our current temporary exhibit “Commanding the Screen: The American Presidency in Film and Television,” closing March 31.

About “Commanding the Screen”

“Commanding the Screen” presents the leading role of the president in American society through the lens of television and film. This exhibition invites visitors to explore cinematic performances of fictional and real-life presidents, and examine how America’s spirit, values, and historical journey are reflected in these portrayals of the Commander in Chief. It features original costumes, authentic props, and other memorabilia from portrayals of the American presidency on screen.

ASL interpretation is available during our events.

Clinton Presidential Center Presents is a partnership between the Clinton Foundation, Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, and Clinton Presidential Library.

About Rod Lurie

Rod Lurie is the director of the widely-praised war film “The Outpost” and the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominated political thriller “The Contender,” as well as the hit television series “Commander In Chief,” the latter which was nominated for the Best Drama Series Golden Globe, and for which Geena Davis won the Best Actress Golden Globe for her depiction of the first female President of the United States.

He wrote and directed the films “Straw Dogs,” “Nothing But the Truth,” “Resurrecting the Champ,” and created and executive-produced “Line of Fire,” a one-hour FBI drama for ABC.

Before he segued to filmmaking, Lurie graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1984 and went on to serve for four years as a Combat Arms officer in the U.S. Army. After the military, Lurie first enjoyed success as a film critic and entertainment reporter, breaking into journalism as a reporter for the New York Daily News.

Lurie worked as a film critic, investigative reporter and contributing editor to Los Angeles Magazine from 1990-1995. He spent four years as the film critic for 790 AM KABC Radio in Los Angeles, where on-air guests included: Tom Hanks, Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron and many more.

In addition, Lurie authored the book Once Upon A Time in Hollywood in 1995. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the bestselling novelist Kyra Davis.

About Michael Cook

Award-winning political consultant Michael Cook owns Cook Consulting, a public relations and political consulting firm.

Michael is also a film critic for two Little Rock television stations making him the only person in the country who is currently both a political consultant and a professional film critic.

Michael shares his movie reviews every Friday morning on KLRT-TV’s Good Day Arkansas and appears regularly on KARK-TV’s Arkansas Style. Michael is a “tomato-meter-approved critic” on Rotten Tomatoes and is Arkansas’s only member of the Critics Choice Association.

His political career first began when he dropped out of college after being hired by the Bill Clinton for President Campaign in 1991 where he served in the Little Rock headquarters and in New Hampshire. Since then, he’s worked on dozens of political campaigns and in state government.

Michael was named by Arkansas Business to their prestigious “40 Under 40” list as one of the state’s emerging leaders and is a member of Leadership Greater Little Rock, Class XXIV. Michael is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and holds a degree in history from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

About “Commander in Chief”

Rod Lurie’s capacity to breathe life into characters from his imagination like President Mackenzie Allen and Vice-Presidential nominee Lanie Hanson are a testament to describing his cinematic universes as tours de force. Mackenzie Allen has a lot on her plate — she has twin teenagers and a 6-year-old at home and an ambitious husband at the office, and she is about to become the first female president of the United States. Before that happens, however, Mackenzie, who serves as vice president, has to decide whether or not to go against the dying wishes of the current president, who has asked her to step down and let someone “more appropriate” fill his shoes in the Oval Office. Not only does the president want her to resign, so does the entire party that elected her in the first place. But when the moment of truth arrives, Mackenzie isn’t willing to be a mere footnote in history. Instead of allowing her detractors to keep her down, she decides to trust her instincts and accept the most powerful job in the world.

About “The Contender”

Lurie’s directorial skills extend beyond series on television with “The Contender” serving as a political thriller film with a star-studded cast. When the sitting Vice President dies, Senator Laine Hanson is chosen by the President to be the first woman to hold the office. The selection meets with opposition from members of both parties, in particular a powerful political adversary who will seemingly stop at nothing to discredit her. Her confirmation hearings set off a firestorm of controversy as shocking secrets from Hanson’s past are revealed, threatening her personal life as well as her political future.

Host or Publisher Clinton Presidential Center