Zachary Quinto to be Spielberg's George Gerswin?

Yesterday, the rumor mill was buzzing about Steven Spielberg's next project.  After the remake of Harvey fell apart, Spielberg is supposedly anxious to begin work, possibly as soon as April, on a biopic of American composer George Gershwin.  Zachary Quinto, who recently told fans that he would be taking a break from all things Sci-fi and Star Trek for two years, is in talks for the role of George Gerswhin.  No word on who would play his brother Ira, who wrote a string of Broadway musical hits with him in the 20's and 30'.

George Gershwin tragically died young of a brain tumor at the age of 38.  Gershwin, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, started on Tin Pan Alley, writing songs for $15 a week.  He wrote the music for several Broadway shows, Hollywood musicals, and crossed over to classical music with orchestral pieces like An American in Paris, and the opera Porgy and Bess.  You can't escape his music, especially whenever a United airlines commercial airs (Rhapsody in Blue). 

I think Zachary Quinto would be great in this role.  He is really one of the best actors on Heroes, and I loved him as Spock.  He is so incredibly intense in both roles, and yet is very different and lighter in his personal interviews.  He's a very talented guy, and I think doing something completely different from his genre Sci-fi parts is a great move for his career.

But Mr. Spielberg, what is going on with that Lincoln biopic starring Liam Neeson?

Here's one of the few film recordings that exist of Gershwin playing the piano, I've Got Rhythm: