Dennis Quaid Says Reagan Was a Role He Originally Didn't Want: ‘I Didn’t Think I Was the Guy’ (2024)

“I never wanted the movie to come out in an election year,” Dennis Quaid told MovieWeb in an exclusive interview for his new film Reagan. The Far From Heaven and Great Balls of Fire! star morphs into the 40th President of the United States, a powerful force in history known for generating short-term economic growth and Soviet pushback. Get tickets for the film here, which go on sale today, July 4, fitting for the patriotic American holiday. The movie hits theaters nationwide August 30 via ShowBiz Direct.

“I didn't want politics to affect it,” Quaid went on to say about the film’s 2024 release. “But here it is, coming out in an election year, and it seems like the perfect time for it to come out.” The gripping biopic was shut down several times during the pandemic. Per the film’s synopsis, audiences will be taken, “from dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage.” Reagan had quite a sprawling life, perfect for a biographical drama, and yet Quaid was quick to note his hesitation to playing Ronald Reagan.

‘I Didn’t Think I Was the Guy’ to Play Reagan

Reagan

Biography

History

Drama

From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood and then on to commanding the world stage, Reagan is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan's when Reagan first caught the Soviets’ attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating. Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic, offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman who supported him in his journey.

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Release Date

August 30, 2024

Director

Sean McNamara

Cast

Dennis Quaid , Penelope Ann Miller , Mena Suvari , Lesley-Anne Down , David Henrie , Kevin Dillon , Jon Voight

Writers

Jonas McCord , Howard Klausner

Reagan producer Mark Joseph (The Vessel) had the Reagan script for about 10 years. “For some reason, they thought I would be the guy,” Quaid shared. “And I didn't think I was the guy. One thing, Reagan was my favorite president. Everybody knows the public Reagan.” He went on to say:

"[Reagan] was one of the most recognizable people in the world. That was another thing that sent a chill of fear up my spine. That's really what it was. So, it took me a while. I went to the Reagan Ranch, and going there, I could feel him as a human being; kind of his core was there at the Reagan Ranch. And I realized Reagan was a humble person. He was not a rich guy. I think a lot of people think that he was. I think a lot of people got rich during his administration. But he was a humble man.”

A Visit to Reagan Ranch Changed Everything

Quaid’s visit to Reagan Ranch, located atop a Santa Ynez Mountain range near Santa Barbara and known as Reagan Rancho del Cielo, was a game changer. The haven is not open to the public, and the actor noted that one of the Reagans’ friends bought the property after Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s deaths and kept it in perpetuity.

Related: Best Dennis Quaid Performances, Ranked

“Their clothes are in the closet,” Quaid added. “You expect them to come back at any time. They left it just as it was. They had a king-sized bed in this 1,100-square-foot house, but it was two single beds that were zip-tied together. You could feel him, that he did all the work around there. And I could feel his core, and that's what made me say yes [to the movie].”

The film was shot primarily in Oklahoma, but the production did shoot at the ranch for several weeks. “I can't tell you the feeling it was of doing scenes that actually happened there,” Quaid admitted, noting how spot-on Penelope Ann Miller was in her portrayal of Nancy Reagan. “It was… I won't say eerie, because that's not the right word, but it was something special. It's like she channeled her or something, I don't know what it was. But it made my job much easier. She was fantastic."

Dennis Quaid’s Transformation Into Ronald Reagan

“I came up with it on my own,” Quaid pointed out about taking on Reagan’s mannerisms and speech. “There's a lot of videotape out there on Reagan. And I realized that I'm going to have to look and sound somewhat like him, but I didn't want to do an impersonation of him, because the key to me was getting to his core, really.”

Quaid was quick to add: “I do work out from the outside in. And so [with Ronald Reagan], there's the hair, there's his mouth, he had a crooked smile, and it had to do with the muscles maybe… you know, he had nerve damage or something.” He also noted:

“I just did the voice. I basically just lived with his voice for a couple of months, doing the voice and trying it out on people to the point where it became kind of natural to me. I didn't want to overdo it. Because I'm always going to be there... You're always playing yourself, as well, as an actor. You can't get away from that.”

The cast also includes the aforementioned Penelope Ann Miller (Carlito’s Way) as Nancy Reagan, Mena Suvari (Prey) as Reagan's first wife, Jane Wyman, Lesley-Anne Down (Upstairs, Downstairs) as Margaret Thatcher, David Henrie as teenage Reagan, Kevin Dillon (Entourage) as Jack Warner, and Jon Voight as the KGB Agent Viktor Petrovich. Tickets go on sale July 4 for Showbiz Direct’s Reagan. Order advance tickets here. Watch the trailer below.