Lee Daniels wanted Barack Obama to star in `The Butler`

Lee Daniels wanted US President Barack Obama to star in his upcoming movie.

London: Filmmaker Lee Daniels has revealed that he wanted US President Barack Obama to star in his upcoming movie `The Butler`.

The 53-year-old director wished Obama could play himself in the film that revolves around the real life story of a White House butler Eugene Allen, who is renamed as Cecil Gaines in the film. "I wanted Obama. But I was too afraid to ask him. Even if I had I think that he was in the middle of something called the election. It would have been weird if I had somebody playing Obama. I couldn`t have anybody playing Obama but Obama," Daniels said. Orlando Eric Stree is casted to play Obama. The movie has an impressive cast including Forest Whitaker, Alan Rickman and John Cusack. The movie is set to hit theatres on August 16 this year. PTI