The People vs. Larry Flynt
Harrelson plays Hustler founder Larry Flynt in this biopic directed by Milos Forman. The story follows his poor beginnings in Kentucky to his involvement in the sex industry, where he meets the love of his life, played by Courtney Love. He is taken to court by an anti-pornography group and is defended by a young lawyer, played by Edward Norton. Forman on casting Harrelson:
I never saw him on television [in Cheers], and the only film I saw him in, Indecent Proposal, was not very convincing to me. So I agreed to send the script to the two first names on the list, Tom Hanks and Bill Murray. Fortunately, they turned it down. Then I asked for a meeting with Woody. We had dinner together, and I was sold on Woody from the first meeting. I liked him enormously.