The Newsroom’s Will McAvoy made an iconic monologue in the hit show’s first episode that not only made the series better, but also saved Jeff Daniels’ career. Penned byThe West Wing’sAaron Sorkin,The Newsroomfollowed the cast and crew of a fictional cable news network called Atlantis Cable News (ACN).The Newsroompremiered to great reviews, and ran for three seasons.
During its three-season run,The Newsroomhad its fair share of controversy, whichAaron Sorkin apologized for. The Newsroomcame at an opportune time for Jeff Daniels as the actor was experiencing a dip in his career. For Daniels,The Newsroomis particularly meaningful, in that he believes it saved his career.
Will McAvoy’s Iconic Monologue Was A Late Addition To The Newsroom’s Pilot
Will McAvoy’s Iconic Monologue Was Added Two Weeks Before The Show Started Shooting
Although Will McAvoy’s iconic opening monologue inThe Newsroomis considered to be one of the most influential scenes in an American TV show, the speech was actually a late addition to the series' pilot. In the episode, McAvoy is on a panel at Northwestern University when he is asked by a student what he thinks makes America the greatest country in the world. The titular character launched into a speech, andlisted all the reasons why America wasn’t in fact the greatest country in the world, but had the potential to be.
The Newsroom 10 Years Later: 10 Best Quotes From The Series
The HBO drama The Newsroom premiered 10 years ago and is still remembered by fans for its great dialogue from writer Aaron Sorkin.
During an interview withGQwhere the actor broke down his most iconic roles, Daniels revealed the story behind Will McAvoy’s monologue. The actor explained that the iconic speech was added to the script two weeks before they started shooting the pilot, andhe had just as long to learn and perfect it(viaThe Hollywood Reporter). Sorkin wanted audiences to know what actually happened when McAvoy went to speak at Northwestern University, instead of just talking about it in the past.
Jeff Daniels Knew How Important It Was Getting Will McAvoy’s Monologue Right
Will McAvoy’s Monologue Set The Tone For The Show
The first few minutes of a pilot episode are crucial in determining whether audiences will continue to watch a show or not. Daniels was aware of that andknew he had to perform his monologue perfectly in order to keep audiences’ attention. WhetherThe Newsroomwould be picked up by HBO also hinged on how well Daniels delivered the famous monologue.
The actor had a lot of pressure to knock the scene out of the pack, which he did, because it would determine whether he, the rest of the cast, and the show’s production team had jobs.
HBO executives and other cast members showed up the day Daniels was shooting the scene. The actor had a lot of pressure to knock the scene out of the pack, which he did, because it would determine whether he, the rest of the cast, and the show’s production team had jobs (viaThe Hollywood Reporter).The iconic monologue was one of the finest moments in the show, anditset the tone for what audiences could expect from Will McAvoyandThe Newsroom.
The Newsroom
Cast
At the fictional Atlantis Cable News station, lead anchor Will McAvoy and his staff work to put out a news show in the face of each week’s corporate challenges, political tension, and personal conflicts.
