Gosling would play a young, fast-rising press secretary who works for a presidential candidate and gets swept up in the ruthless political machine.
Willimon's play premiered in fall 2008 at the Atlantic Theater Company. Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr. starred as the press secretary opposite Chris Noth as a campaign manager. Previous reports have indicated that Clooney is courting Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti for other roles in the film version.
Gosling, an Oscar nominee for "Half Nelson," has also appeared in "Lars and the Real Girl," "The Notebook," "Remember the Titans" and "The Believer." He will next be seen in "Blue Valentine."
Clooney will direct and, with his company Smokehouse Productions, produce Farragut North, which should begin production in March 2011.
