below, from Durbin.....

DURBIN MAKES HOLLYWOOD DEBUT; HAS CAMEO ROLE IN "CONTAGION"

[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin will make his Hollywood debut tomorrow as he films a scene for the upcoming global thriller "Contagion," directed by Academy Award(r) winner Steven Soderbergh ("Ocean's 11, 12, 13," "The Informant," "Traffic," and "Erin Brockovich").

Durbin will have a cameo role and a single scene, which he'll share with Oscar(r) nominee Laurence Fishburne. During the scene, Durbin will chair a Senate hearing and deliver a single line of dialogue. The shoot is scheduled for Tuesday, November 9 in Chicago.

"All those hours on C-SPAN have prepared me for this historic moment in my life, but I'm still a little nervous," Durbin said. "All I can think of is going on too long with the thank you list in my Oscar acceptance speech."

"Contagion" follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.

The film brings together an international ensemble cast, including Academy Award(r) winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose," "Inception"); Academy Award(r) winner Matt Damon ("Good Will Hunting," the "Bourne" films); Oscar(r) nominee Laurence Fishburne ("What's Love Got to Do With It," "The Matrix"); Oscar(r) nominee Jude Law ("Cold Mountain," "Sherlock Holmes"); Academy Award(r) winner Gwyneth Paltrow ("Shakespeare in Love," "Iron Man"); and Academy Award(r) winner Kate Winslet ("The Reader," "Titanic").

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