Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn are the most veteran of the Divergent cast. But they are at different junctions.
Goldwyn, who was most known for being the wrong Swayze replacement for Demi Moore in Ghost, is also a director (who more than a decade ago directed the Ashley Judd starrer Someone Like You). He’s currently playing the President on ABC’s twitterholic melodrama Scandal.
Rumors have swirled around Judd at the possibility of a Kentucky senate run in 2016. If Rand Paul jumps into the presidential elect ring and stays there, she just might pounce.
In Divergent they are more than the young heroine’s parents. They are a part of the faction that leads New Chicago: Abnegation.
For those uninitiated to Divergent’s (what’s left of a) world, here’s a synopsis: after war has decimated the USA, Chicago has built up a large enclosed fence around its city and divided up society into five different labor groups. Everyone has to take a test at age 16 to determine where their skill set would place them. They can choose to go through training of a different faction; however, if they fail during training they’ll be “factionless” i.e. without a place in society… homeless.
The five factions are:
Abnegation – meant for the selfless; they provide aid to citizens – including the factionless. Basically they’re social workers. They also head the government! The thought is that they’re incorruptible because they put society ahead of themselves.
The closest faction to abnegation is Amity – meant for the peaceful; basically they’re the farmers and provide the goods and wear autumnal clothes.
The other three factions are the more learned or brutish, so of course, these are the ones thirsty to overthrow abnegation by force or gossip.
They are:
Candor – meant for the honest; these are the lawyers and judges.
Dauntless – meant for the brave; these are the police, military and rescue.
Erudite – meant for the intelligent; these are the bookies, but also the baddies.
So what’s “divergent”? Find out this weekend, in theatres.
Meanwhile, Goldwyn, Judd and I spoke about possible political messages in the film; and the perils of politicians trying so hard to be, essentially, one faction.
Listen to them. He plays a president and her team is monitoring a possible 2016 senate race.
