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Martin Sheen - a political activist in real
life who played the liberal-leaning U.S. President Jed Bartlet
on the NBC show - will reunite with his fictional White House
staffers, portrayed by Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Rob
Lowe, Dule Hill, Janel Maloney and Richard Schiff, HBO Max said
on Tuesday.
The one-off special will include new material by creator Aaron
Sorkin and will air on streaming platform HBO Max ahead of the
Nov. 3 elections to raise awareness of the nonprofit "When We
All Vote" group co-chaired by former first lady Michelle Obama.
"This was a way to use us getting back together to make a
statement about getting people out to vote," Whitford told NBC's
"Today" show as he announced the reunion.
"The farther we get away from that show, I think I speak for
everybody in the cast, the luckier we feel to have been able to
be a part of a show that was such an amazing creative
experience, and most importantly to me, celebrated a non-cynical
vision of public service," Whitford added.
"The West Wing" ended its seven-year run in 2006 after winning
more than 20 Emmy Awards.
The special will feature a staged performance of an episode from
the third season titled "Hartsfield's Landing," in which Bartlet
plays chess with his close aides while awaiting the results of a
state primary election.
The episode will be shot in Los Angeles in early October under
social distancing and other coronavirus safety guidelines now
being adopted by the film and television industry.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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