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Aaron Sorkin on if he would do a 'West Wing' show set in a Trump administration

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Aaron Sorkin on if he would do a 'West Wing' show set in a Trump administration
NBC via Getty Images
ByLAUREN EFFRON and MEREDITH FROST
January 04, 2018, 2:47 PM

— -- Aaron Sorkin, the creator of the award-winning political TV drama series, “The West Wing, said he “wouldn’t do” a version of the show with a Donald Trump-type character as president.

“It would look like dead air,” Sorkin told “Nightline.” “I don’t find him to be a terribly interesting character. He is exactly what he looks like.”

Martin Sheen, left, with Richard Schiff and Rob Lowe in a scene from "The West Wing."
NBC via Getty Images

President Donald Trump talks with journalists before signing tax reform legislation into law in the Oval Office Dec. 22, 2017 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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How this actress went From 'The West Wing' to Washington

The original TV series, which ran from 1999 to 2006 but has found new life on streaming platforms like Netflix, was set in the West Wing of the White House under two-term Democratic President Josiah Bartlet, portrayed by Martin Sheen.

Martin Sheen in a scene from "The West Wing."
NBC via Getty Images

But Sorkin, who is also the creator of “The Newsroom” and is making his directorial film debut with “Molly’s Game,” said he wouldn’t develop a president character based on Trump because he believes “there’s no nuance” there.

“He only ever talks about two things: Himself and his enemies, and that's it,” Sorkin said. “So it's a character that you wouldn't believe the character in a drama. He doesn't have any of the qualities that you that you need to tell a story. There's just no blood there.”

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