David Strathairn joins Steven Spielberg's LINCOLN

David Strathairn has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. THR reports that Strathairn has signed on to play William Seward, "who served as Lincoln’s Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869. Seward was a passionate abolitionist and fiercely loyal to Lincoln as he served in his cabinet during the Civil War." He joins Daniel Day-Lewis as Abe Lincoln and Sally Field who stars as his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.

Here is what Spielberg had to say about casting Strathairn:

“Throughout his career, David Strathairn has consistently delivered performances of strength and character. That's why I am so pleased that he will portray the Secretary of State, who became such a dominant figure in Lincoln's ‘team of rivals’ cabinet."

The screenplay was written by playwright Tony Kushner, which is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s best-selling book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. The book focuses on how Lincoln worked with his former rivals during his presidency. The DreamWorks pictures is being produced by Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. The film is slated to start shooting in Virginia this fall with Disney’s Touchstone Pictures looking to distribute the film during the fourth-quarter of 2012.

I like Strathairn and think that his addition to the cast is good news. As a history buff I believe that this film is poised for greatness. What are your thoughts?