Summary
Reagantells the story of Ronald Reagan’s life from his childhood into his time as President of the United States. It also delves into the impact he had on history and the love story between himself and Nancy. However, perhaps most intriguingly, this isn’t the traditional biopic. Instead, Reagan’s life story is being told by Viktor Ivanov, a former KGB agent.
Dennis Quaid expertly embodiesRonald Reagan, bringing the former President to life on screen with the help of Tommy Ragen, who plays a young Ronald Reagan, and David Henrie who plays the teenage Ronald Reagan. Penelope Ann Miller is an expert scene partner with the chemistry between the two bringing heart to the movie and Jon Voight delivers a memorable performance as Viktor Ivanov the man telling this story. Sean McNamara helmed the project as director from a script penned by Howard Klausner and Jonas McCord based on Paul Kengor’sThe Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism.
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Screen Rantinterviewed stars Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller about their new movie,Reagan. Quaid revealed what convinced him to take on therole of Ronald Reaganand how he wanted to portray not only the man but the era. Miller explained why reading Nancy Reagan’s autobiography was instrumental to her preparation and the pressure she felt to honor her legacy especially because she is still alive.
“I was offered the role. I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t say no.”
Screen Rant: This isn’t a story about politics, but a man who happens to be in politics and it’s a fantastic journey in telling of a story. Dennis, you completely immersed yourself being President Ronald Reagan. How did you prepare for the role of Ronald Reagan and did you find any particular aspect of his life more challenging to portray?
Dennis Quaid: Well, I had a year to do it. I was offered the role. I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t say no. He was my favorite president and everybody in the world -like Muhammad Ali- everybody knows him. They know Ronald Reagan or think they do, so it took me a while. I went to the Reagan Ranch finally, that’s not open to the public, where they lived and their clothes are still in the closet there. It’s kept exactly as it was.
Penelope Ann Miller: Everything’s in the house.
Dennis Quaid: I could really feel him there, and that was really the beginning of it. I had a year to prepare, and then there was Penelope here who basically channeled Nancy Reagan, and so it made it my job so much easier.
“Reading Her Words, Her Experiences, Her Feelings” Helped Penelope Ann Miller Honor Nancy Reagan
“I feel like I owe it to her legacy as a living, breathing human being who people knew.”
Penelope, I was just going to say, this isn’t just a movie about President Reagan. This is also a love story about Ron and Nancy. How did you approach the process of embodying Nancy Reagan? What was also the most resourceful help in preparing for the role?
Penelope Ann Miller: The most resourceful help that I got from playing her was reading her autobiograph, My Turn. I learned so much about, and you’ve talked about this before, you want to play a part coming from their point of view, not looking at them from the outsid or judging them.
Dennis Quaid: Like an impersonation or something. Nobody wants to do that.
Penelope Ann Miller: Neither one of us want her to do that. So reading her words, her experiences, her feelings. So she kept a journal during all those years and even from meeting him to the end of his life, well, actually until he got Alzheimer’s, but it was fascinating. It helped me so immensely because I really wanted to do her justice.
I feel like I owe it to her legacy as a living, breathing human being who people knew. I just felt like I had to honor that, and so I just wanted to be as believable and as real and as authentic as I possibly could be. The wigs and the wardrobe helped a lot. That was another resource that I needed to get down.
And playing opposite Dennis, who, as you mentioned true, he embodied Reagan so beautifully and perfectly and it was so fun to play opposite. We clicked, immediately clicked, and it was so important to the movie that is, in essence, the heart of the film is this love story.
There’s so much I learned about President Reagan’s life throughout the course of this. He was super witty. He was charming. He was a great speaker. Dennis, what did you learn about Ronald Reagan that you didn’t know before taking on this project?
Dennis Quaid: Well, he was a very private man. Besides being the great communicator, that’s what really caved it out, everybody said, but more than just learning. It’s not a school lesson going to this film, it’s about feelings. I go to the movies for what I feel and people are going to fee.
Penelope Ann Miller: And relationships.
Dennis Quaid: Remember for anybody born after 1985, they’ll be able to see what this country used to be like and what it still can be. And before 1985 to go back there and we forget, 90% of people thought we were going to be in a nuclear war in 1980 and very imminent. It was a different time and place, but things are still the same.
Penelope Ann Miller: It’s funny people say growing up in the eighties was so much fun, and I hear that all the time. I think it does bring you back to that life then if you’ve lived in that time. And so I think it’s fun to watch, to see all that and to go back there and learn, like you said, about who these people were and in essence, they were human beings, but what made them become these iconic figures.
More About Reagan’s Synopsis And Release Date
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.
Reagan
Cast
Reagon follows the life of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, from his time as a young boy through his tenure in the Oval Office.
