Dermot Mulroney Joins Kinnear's 'Genius'

The cinematic version of the late, struggling inventor Robert Kearns finally has a friend. In June, Christopher Campbell posted that Greg Kinnear had been cast as the inventor in Flash of Genius, with Lauren Graham once again taking on the wifely role. (Is she becoming the token wife to balance out many years as the pretty-much-single Lorelai Gilmore!?) Now Variety has reported that Dermot Mulroney will be taking on the role of Gil Privick, Kearns' best friend, who owns a chain of auto-parts stores.

To recap, Kearns was the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper. He took his invention to car manufacturers, and years later, Ford slapped his design onto cars and he got nothing for it. He had a breakdown, became obsessed and went after the companies that used them. After fighting for years, all the way up to the Supreme Court, Kearns finally got $30 million. However, it was at the cost of his family and dream.

As for Mulroney, maybe he'll finally get a little recognition. The man has been in a ton of films over the years but where all of his Young Guns co-stars made it big, he's always existed as that guy people recognize but don't remember -- the token co-star or supporting cast.