Indeed, Garfield not wanting the nomination for President is one of the reasons why his peers end up elevating him to that position at the RNC that takes place in Death by Lightning. Although as Shannon says, that way of thinking about public servants feels very foreign nowadays.

Based on the novel Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard, Death by Lightning stars Michael Shannon as Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as Guiteau. They are joined by an all-star ensemble playing some of the most powerful political figures from 19th-century America.

Michael Shannon also talks about his longtime friendship with actor Shea Whigham, who's also in the Netflix limited series.

The fact-based drama "Nuremberg," in theaters Friday, reunites Michael Shannon with Russell Crowe, who played his nemesis in "Man of Steel."