Another Leak: Kate Beckinsale Starring As 'Judith Miller' in New Movie

By: E&P Staff The character does not bear the name of the famous reporter, but some insiders still refer to it as "the Judith Miller movie." It's "Nothing but the Truth" coming from veteran politically-oriented director Rod Lurie.

Kate Beckinsale, quite a bit younger than her role's model, plays the Miller character (named Rachel Armstrong here), and other stars include Angela Bassett, Noah Wyle and Matt Dillon (as the crusading prosecutor).

Alan Alda, Vera Farmiga, and David Schwimmer also star in the story of a reporter (Beckinsale) who reveals the identity of a CIA agent (Farmiga) -- and is sent to jail for refusing to reveal her source. Sound familiar? Bassett plays the supportive editor in chief at her Washington paper, the Capital Sun. Wyle plays the lawyer placed in charge of defending the stylish scribe. Former Miller attorney Floyd Abrams also appears -- as a judge.

Like "Scooter" Libby, Beckinsale lunched with Miller, but presumably will never have to testify about it, except to celebrity profilers when the film comes out.

Lurie wrote the script. Filming began this month in, of all places, Memphis, including some scenes shot at the Commercial Appeal newsroom. Lurie directed "The Contender" for Hollywood and "Commander in Chief" for TV.

In an article for the Commercial Appeal last week, its movie critic, Joel Beifuss wrote that "most employees were unprepared for the swarm of grips, gaffers, makeup artists, wardrobe assistants and others who emerged from more than 20 trailers and covered much of the third-floor newsroom like worker ants, if ants wore headphones, tattoos and tool belts. 'We haven't had this many people in here since the Reagan administration,' said veteran reporter Cindy Wolff.

"Beckinsale, who arrived after Greenway's announcement, said she was surprised to learn that many of the people hammering away at keyboards in the room were actually working (or at least paid) journalists. 'They act singularly unimpressed,' she laughed. 'They all act like they're from the same movie.'

"Bright new fluorescent lights were placed into all the ceiling fixtures, dispelling the traditional murk and irritating many of the reporters and editors who, like mushrooms, seemed to thrive on the gloom....
'It's a movie that puts journalism in a very positive light, and a movie that deals with the issue of the First Amendment,' Lurie said. 'I can't imagine any newspaper wouldn't be eager to be part of that.'"