Al Pacino as Rahm Emanuel: Pacino’s volcanic acting -- his contract says he gets to fly into a rage at least once every movie -- is perfect for Emanuel’s volatile personality. Scarface proves he’s got Emanuel’s vocabulary down, too.
Eugene Levy as Gery Chico: Levy has more hair, but they can fix that in makeup. His wry, honking voice is a perfect match for Chico’s, and he can rock a pair of eyeglasses.
Oprah Winfrey as Carol Moseley Braun: Winfrey and Moseley Braun are the two most powerful women in Illinois’s history: a multimillionaire talk show host, and a United States senator. And the two have this in common: they both want something Barack Obama’s got.
Ossie Davis as Danny Davis: Ossie Davis would have been a perfect Harold Washington. This could be his second chance to play a Chicago mayor with wise eyes and a profound voice.
Steve Harvey as James Meeks: The mustache, obviously. But they both perform for huge crowds -- Harvey as a comedian, Meeks as a preacher -- and Harvey’s act draws on his experiences growing up in the black church.
Hector Elizondo as Miguel del Valle: Elizondo usually plays a supporting role, which is what del Valle has been doing for Mayor Daley the last four years. He won an Emmy Award for Chicago Hope. Del Valle’s going to need some of that.
