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Favorite fictional presidents: Jackson Evans | 144024__bridges_l
The Contender: Everett Collection

PLAYED BY Jeff Bridges

The Contender (2000) is about a woman, Laine Hanson (Joan Allen, left), who seeks to become the first female vice president, but the film is stolen by its wily president, Jeff Bridges' sly Jackson Evans. He's a salty, Lyndon Johnson-esque figure who enjoys bowling in the White House basement and making backroom deals to advance his liberal agenda — which includes getting the sex-scandal-tainted Laine confirmed by a conservative-dominated Congress. He also has a novel hobby: trying to stump the White House chef with orders for arcane and esoteric dishes. This actually comes in handy, as when he intimidates freshman Congressman Christian Slater by ordering up a shark-steak sandwich. Like Evans, Contender writer/director Rod Lurie was clearly eager to get a woman into the White House, finally succeeding with his ABC series Commander in Chief.


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Posted Apr 11, 2006 | Order Article Reprints