Rosie O'Donnell's Search for 'AMERICA'

From Entertainment Tonight, the story of how Rosie O'Donnell found the lead actor for her new film 'America'. She was in Detroit looking for a teenage boy to play the film’s lead role....and found him at Small Plates, a restaurant where he was having lunch with his family. That kid was certainly in the right place at the right time! Can you imagine being approached by Rosie O'Donnell and having her ask you to play the lead role in a movie? The Lifetime Original movie will air in February 2009.
*Note, I had the video posted from Entertainment Tonight. However, they had a hidden 'auto start' code embedded in the video. When my page would load...the video automatically started playing. I prefer to give my readers the option of watching a video...or not. In my web surfing, if I come across a site that has auto start videos, I leave. I find it very intrusive...especially if there is a written article to go along with the video. That being said...you can see the video on ET's website. In the mean time I am trying to fix the problem.

Rosie O'Donnell - Executive Producer/Star of 'America'

In 2002, shortly after having E.R. Frank on her TV show, Rosie O'Donnell purchased the film rights to America.

Fast forward 6 years: Rosie is in Detroit Michigan making a movie. Shooting started yesterday.

Rosie O'Donnell will star in and executive produce America, Lifetime's look at a 15-year-old boy's struggles within the foster-care system.

America reunites O'Donnell with producer Larry Sanitsky and scribe Joyce Eliason, with whom she worked on CBS' 2005 'Riding on the Bus With My Sister'.

Yvez Simoneau (HBO's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee) will direct the telepic, which hails from Sony Pictures Television.

Scheduled to premiere in February, the made-for-TV-movie is based on E.R. Frank's book. Rosie O'Donnell will play the therapist who guides the pictures title character, America, beyond his troubled past. O'Donnell is joined by Ruby Dee, who co-stars as one of the boy's caretakers.

Tanya Lopez, Senior VP, Original Movies, Lifetime Networks remarked, "We are truly inspired by Rosie's passion for this project. She's an incredible advocate for reforming the foster care system and a strong voice for children. She adds, "Rosie really understands the issues of these kids 'aging out' of the system without any resources to prepare them for life on their own and this film shines a light on this tragic crisis."