Won’t you be my Mister Rogers? Tom Hanks cast as iconic children’s TV host

SHARE Won’t you be my Mister Rogers? Tom Hanks cast as iconic children’s TV host
screen_shot_2018_01_29_at_4_43_32_pm.png

Tom Hanks (left) is scheduled to play Fred Rogers (right) in a biopic of the PBS children’s TV host. | Provided photos

It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood for Tom Hanks, who’ll star as Mister Rogers in the upcoming biopic “You Are My Friend.”

TriStar Pictures announced Monday it has acquired worldwide rights to the film, to be directed by “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” filmmaker Marielle Heller.

The film will focus on the friendship between the host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and journalist Tom Junod. Junod reluctantly agreed to profile Fred Rogers only to find “his perspective on life transformed.”

Production will begin in September, with a 2019 release expected.

The role will surely add to the America’s Dad image of Hanks, who gave a very Rogers-like opening monologue while hosting “Saturday Night Live” before the 2016 presidential election, swapping his jacket for a sweater and giving America a pep talk.

Rogers died in 2003 at age 74.

The Latest
The men, 18 and 20, were in the 1800 block of West Monroe Street about 9:20 p.m. when two people got out of a light-colored sedan and fired shots. They were hospitalized in fair condition.
NFL
Here’s where all the year’s top rookies are heading for the upcoming NFL season.
The position has been a headache for Poles, but now he has stacked DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze for incoming quarterback Caleb Williams.
Pinder, the last original member of the band, sang and played keyboards, as well as organ, piano and harpsichord. He founded the British band in 1964 with Laine, Ray Thomas, Clint Warwick and Graeme Edge.