Rob Lowe feels very presidential as JFK in ‘Killing Kennedy’

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Actor Rob Lowe speaks onstage throughout the 'Killing Kennedy' panel at the Countrywide Geographic Channels portion of the 2013 Summer season Tv Critics Affiliation tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Wednesday.

BEVERLY HILLS - Asked which of his possess individual characteristics he located in his forthcoming portrayal of the late President John F. Kennedy, Rob Lowe joked, "I am a demigod and a deity."

He then paused a moment in entrance of Tv set critics right here Wednesday, "I have [some of his] other attributes, way too."

Lowe performs the late President in "Killing Kennedy," a much-predicted Countrywide Geographic specific based on the multimillion-promoting book by Bill O'Reilly.

It truly is a single of maybe a dozen specials that will air this November to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Kennedy's assassination.

It will vary from most other folks, director Ridley Scott mentioned, because it tells Kennedy's story in parallel with that of Lee Harvey Oswald, who shot him.

It starts off with Kennedy saying his presidential candidacy at nearly the identical moment ex-Maritime Oswald is defecting to the Soviet Union.

"There's no way people two life need to have come jointly," said Lowe. "It's a amazing remarkable development."

Kent Eanes/National Geographic Channels/Ken

Rob Lowe as President John F. Kennedy on the set of Countrywide Geographic Channel's 'Killing Kennedy.'

Lowe explained he arrived to the movie as "a lifelong supporter" of Kennedy, and that his objective was to "humanize him, present him as a excellent and flawed guy.. . . I wanted to get past the iconography, that perfectly groomed Don Draper image. "

The objective of acquiring driving the community image was echoed by the other three stars: Ginnifer Goodwin as Jacqueline Kennedy, Will Rothaar as Oswald and Michelle Trachtenberg as Marina Oswald - 80% of whose dialogue is in Russian.

"Most of what people consider they know about Jackie Kennedy is from following the assassination," explained Goodwin. "I was surprised at what she was like, in her possess terms, just before then. She explained herself as Victorian, and that her task was to be the spouse Jack needed. She mentioned as soon as that why need to she have an viewpoint when Jack would have a greater one particular."

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"Oswald is normally offered as a two-dimensional villain," mentioned Rothaar. "But I consider men and women will see things in him that they acknowledge in on their own. I located myself emotion for him."

Trachtenberg admitted she "failed to even know Oswald experienced a Russian wife. . . . She's an innocent, a victim, a girl in enjoy."

"Killing Kennedy" has a head begin on other Kennedy displays because O'Reilly's book - element of a minifranchise that also consists of "Killing Lincoln" - has previously completed much of the promotion.

National Geographic Channel

President John F. Kennedy (Rob Lowe) and Jackie (Ginnifer Goodwin) in the motion picture primarily based on Monthly bill O'Reilly's greatest offering guide.

"Any time you can do a undertaking that is already offered tens of millions of textbooks, that is a excellent factor," states Lowe.

Lowe also said he "failed to consider at all" about the reality the e-book was composed by a male with whom he is not always on the identical political page.

"The e-book is very simple on the details of the tale," mentioned Lowe - meaning, amid other things, that it treats Oswald as the sole assassin, performing by yourself.

Lowe states he individually came to that look at by the lengthy street.

"I commenced reading through about JFK and the assassination when I was in second or 3rd grade," he explained. "I study every single conspiracy book and at initial I figured there was no way 1 dude did it. But I've occur around now to the check out they received it correct."

Director Ridley Scott stated "Killing Kennedy" attempts to keep away from controversy.

"We drew on the book, the Warren Commission," he explained. "I figured this is the story we could tell. Other individuals can deal with the rest."

Lowe stated he's optimistic Kennedy is not going to be the previous President he plays. He stated funding is slowly and gradually coming jointly for a film on Ulysses S. Grant, in which he would play the title function.