Citing personal reasons, Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings, Chariots of Fire) has asked to be released from his commitment to play the lead in CBS' forthcoming John Paul II miniseries; in his stead, Jon Voigt (Anaconda, Deliverance) will portray the elder pontiff, Variety reports. Cary Elwes still will play the younger Karol Wojtyla, which again I say is great, because brother absolutely killed in The Princess Bride
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At the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., CBS teased an upcoming miniseries about Pope John Paul II, from the producers of the net's 2000 Jesus. "I read the first night [script] and it's like a papal page-turner," says CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler. "It's a very exciting story. He's a great character." Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyla, will be played by Cary Elwes — who was an absolute riot in The Princess Bride, so I'm psyched! — and, in his later years, by Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings).
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