Robert De Niro’s new political conspiracy thriller “Zero Day” got a dose of reality from former President Barack Obama’s senior advisor Eric Schultz.
He work who worked as a consultant on the new Netflix show, making sure that D.C. scene is as realistic as possible in the flick.
Schultz, who served as White House’s deputy press secretary, was on set for several weeks to make sure every detail was correct for scenes taking place in the Oval Office, outer Oval Office area, the White House briefing room and Congress.
“[This] was an absolute thrill to work on, and not just because the themes resonate at the moment,” Schultz told Page Six. “Everyone involved – the writers, producers, crew, director, actors – were absolutely brilliant and cared deeply about getting the details right. The series is terrifying is because of how real it feels.”
The show, which also stars Angela Basset, Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Modine, Jesse Plemons and Connie Britton, is a conspiracy thriller about a deadly global cyber attack.
One way Schultz helped was making sure scenes inside the briefing room looked accurate, telling us there had to be the “right dynamic of reporters screaming and just shouting questions and getting them answered.”
He also consulted on where certain people would sit in meetings or how they would come in and out of certain rooms.
“It was small details we could work through in real time,” he told us.
Schultz has also consulted on hit shows like “Succession,” “Designated Survivor,” and the A24 flick “Civil War.” He also made a cameo appearance in Max’s “Girls On The Bus.”
When it comes to comparing Hollywood and Washington D.C., he says there are actually some similarities.
“I much prefer fictional dystopias at the moment, but there are a lot of parallels between politics and entertainment,” he told us. “Collaboration is essential for success. It’s entirely a team exercise. There are so many pieces involved in getting something right that everyone has to have each other’s back.”