Last night former WaPo VP Pat Butler joined Nick Clooney and LA Times columnist Steve Lopez for a screening of “The Soloist” at the AFI Silver Theater.

The Newseum and American University hosted the event as a part of the Reel Journalism film series, which explores the intersection of movies and journalism. An intersection that Clooney calls “sometimes smooth, sometimes bumpy, always interesting.”

Following the screening Lopez discussed his experience turning his now famous column of his relationship with homeless musician and schizophrenic Nathaniel Ayers into a book and eventually a feature film, staring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. “I went from journalist to advocate, it was extremely odd.” said Lopez, who was in town for today’s Capitol Hill briefing “Honoring the Soloist – A Congressional Briefing on Homelessness and Mental Illness.”

Lopez added that Paramount also considered Tom Hanks and George Clooney for his role, played by Downey. Also interesting- the casting for Ayer’s character: Denzel Washington and Will Smith were also considered.

On May 18th Reel Journalism will host a discussion with George Stephanopoulos and screening of “The War Room,” a documentary of Bill Clinton’s ’92 campaign.

Special thanks to Paul Menter for covering. More photos after the jump…

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