Leslie Bibb: Sam Rockwell Made George W. Bush Appealing
Leslie Bibb revealed to Jenna Bush Hager that her perspective on her father, George W. Bush, has changed due to her long-term partner, Sam Rockwell.
“It was quite strange for me because when Sam portrayed your dad, I never saw George Bush as being, like, attractive,” Bibb, 50, disclosed during the Thursday, March 27, episode of Today With Jenna & Friends, referring to Rockwell’s role as the former President in the 2018 film Vice. “But suddenly, I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ He’s wearing a western shirt, speaking charmingly, and munching on chicken wings.”
The movie, which delves into the political journey of Bush’s Vice President, Dick Cheney, includes a scene where Rockwell’s Bush proposes that Cheney (Christian Bale) become his running mate while enjoying chicken wings. (Bush Hager, 43, and her twin sister, Barbara, are the daughters of the 43rd president and his spouse, Laura.)
“He was doing something that made him look like a cowboy,” Bibb commented about her partner’s performance. “I have a soft spot for cowboys. And I thought, ‘Wow, yes. George Bush is definitely a [cowboy].’”
Bush Hager, 43, found Bibb’s remarks amusing, jokingly suggesting she should have requested Rockwell, 56, to “bring that costume home.”
Rockwell’s performance as Bush earned him several honors, including a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film received a total of eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won one for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Bibb and Rockwell have been together since 2007 but have chosen not to marry. They previously shared the screen in 2010’s Iron Man 2. Bibb currently stars in season 3 of HBO’s The White Lotus, and Rockwell made a memorable cameo in the show’s March 16 episode, where his character Frank disclosed shocking truths about his sexual experiences and addictions during a discussion with his friend, Rick (Walton Goggins).
On Today, Bibb noted that Rockwell wasn’t initially slated for the small role since he was in South Africa for another film while she was in Thailand for the show.
“But I mentioned, ‘There’s this monologue that Frank delivers that I think encapsulates the entire theme of the season. It’s incredible. I believe it’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever come across and will likely be regarded as one of the best moments in television,’” she explained. “I was hopeful they would choose a talented actor for the role.”
Eventually, Bibb was contacted by the show’s creator, Mike White, and executive producer David Bernad regarding Rockwell taking on the role. “I was on a treadmill when I got the call. I said, ‘If he decides not to do it, you can’t blame me,’ because I knew he would make his own choice,” she said. “But I thought Sammy absolutely nailed it.”
Being able to film in the same location as her partner was something Bibb expressed she was “unexpectedly grateful for,” stating, “There was a new context, because when he visited Bangkok, he understood what I meant when I talked about the heat or any issues we were facing on set. He had direct experience.”
