Dennis Quaid Describes What Ronald Reagan Was Really Like

what's it like playing Ronald rean the great communicator actor Dennis Quaid stars in the new movie rean it's become my favorite movie now before this it was the right stuff which had a 40-year Reign so that's saying something when I've done 100 something movies but uh it uh was an honor to play him he was my favorite President and uh I didn't accept the role at first it was first offered back in 2018 and you know fear went up my spine because everybody knows what Reagan he's like Muhammad Ali everybody knows what he looks like sounds like and all that I didn't want to do an impersonation like Saturday Night Live you know and uh wanted to try to get find out you know the get get down to the human being and but I so I didn't say yes but I didn't say no and I went out to the Reagan Ranch which it's not a place open to the public it was the Western White House you know and uh it was bought by friends of Reagan uh after uh he passed and they left he and nany's clothes in the closet I mean you think they're coming back anytime but I went up that five miles of the worst Road in California to get up there and uh the top and come out through the gate and and I could just feel the man he was a humble man and uh yeah he really did do all the work there dug those ponds and uh the fences and everything that the house was he wasn't a rich man either that's come to find out you know uh the house was like 1100 square ft H they had a king-sized bed but it was two single beds that were zip tied together that was the president you know leader of the Free World in fact he even had a little cuz he was tall for that bed they even had a little foot stol extended off of it so they you know kind of sound a little bit like Lincoln uh and uh it was uh it was you know quite I could really feel his Spirit there and um I was lucky enough you know uh had a year to prepare for it and um shooting it was you know we had quite a journey with that we shot during Co and we all got Co and uh yeah that and um but we shot at the ramp in and we shot shot the rest in Oklahoma uh kind of pretending it was it was Dixon Illinois and a few other places and the Berlin Wall was right there in Oklahoma in Guthrie Oklahoma uh but uh great cast pelanne Miller she's so wonderful in this and uh you know it was a everybody there you know the crew and cast were so dedicated it's rare that you get really that type of feeling on on a set and I think that's reflected in the film Deb Williams Auto week thank you for joining us here in Daytona and uh July 4th 1984 was a Monumental day and historical day for NASCAR because of President Reagan becoming the first seating president to attend the race and he gave the the command from Air Force One and then watching Air Force One land as the cars came off turn two was just beautiful have you studied that day will any of that be in the movie uh no that's not in the movie that's one that didn't make the cut but uh there's a lot of stuff I guess that didn't make the cut to a lot of people but there's so much in this you get to be there's all the things I remember he was my favorite President if I haven't said that before there was all those things about his story that I always wanted to see or be a fly on the wall you know the his days uh as a boy in Dix that shaped him the you know his years in Hollywood uh and you know that that conversation with gorbachov you know alone in the room and you know everything in it it's it's not made up the everything I think the only non-historical fact was said and done was uh my dog peaches who was a you know a miniature bulldog they didn't have one but that's about that's she plays the family dog and that's the only thing that's not a a fact thank you Jerry over here Jerry Jordan kicking the.net to your right I know that Reagan really did a lot for NASCAR with that though it really started to take off after that you started to get huge crowds it you know became patriotic really out here you know it was a it was ushered in a new era and uh it was you know he was he was like that yeah he was the you know I knew him from a kid when from as as a k as a child I remember he was the guy that sold Baro soap on uh Death Valley days and you know in GE and he you know he knew how to sell which is a great trade if you're a president you you know because that's what you're doing you're selling it to the American people and you're selling it to the world and uh uh he did a lot of he did a lot for NASCAR I bet it was Mr Jerry Jordan kick the.net so obviously you already had a vast knowledge of of President Reagan and his history but in preparing for a role obviously you would study and talk to people who were some of the People instrumental in talking that you talked with to get the the story to get the character and and kind of learn some of the things that you were just dovetailing into uh in your previous answer well uh first and foremost when I went out to the Reagan Ranch John Barletta uh Trevor is here I think or was he plays John Barletta he and uh he was the secret service agent who was assigned to ride horses with the president because nobody in the Secret Service rode horses or they would actually a couple of times like walk their horse you know while the president's riding it's not exactly a kind of James bondan Secret Service thing to do but uh um but John uh did and he was he was at the the ranch there both times I went before we started shooting just the greatest guy you know his relationship with Reagan was over 30 years he was with him from that time all the way up to the time that he passed with with Alzheimer's and and um uh just a great guy we wanted to put him in the movie as something but uh he passed unfortunately like couple of months before we started shooting but people like him who were really close and knew him uh uh Ed uh there was you know everybody to a uh person said that uh this is what to me kind of like made beyond the impersonation of doing Reagan they said there was a part of him that was a there was a wall there that that would he was kind of unknowable in that place this is the great communicator but there was this private private place that he had that you know maybe Nancy and his mother and God uh uh reached but uh he really kind of kept himself that that private place read Reed Spencer with the NASCAR wire as an actor what's the mechanism that you use to get beyond the impression and actually become the character well it's you acting fascinates me because it's about what makes people tick you know uh why do they walk the way they do why do they you know Reagan had a crooked smile why is that things little things like like that that add up over the years and then you know given that you know you never get away from yourself a as an actor because it's your interpretation of it and you know like you know you know Tom Cruz movie no matter what you know you're you're watching Tom Cruz and you know you're watching Tom Cruz or or Marlon Brando or Jack Nicholson or whatever so the question is what would I do if I were that person in this situation and that's the mechanism for what it makes it an interpretation and you know and you try to you do you learn everything you can like got a year I was on YouTube's great because you know got all the speeches and all the footage and news footage and what you know for all that outside stuff way he walked and stuff like that and a lot of that outside stuff can lead you to how they feel on the inside and when I play a real person especially like Jimmy Morris and the rookie or even Doc Holiday who wasn't around but Jimmy Morris was on the set every day and then there was Jerry Lee Lewis who was on the set every day right over my shoulder saying you get it wrong son but uh but Reagan is that I want to I feel a responsibility to tell story from their point of view without judgment uh either way you know and um but I think doing it from their point of view out of respect because if somebody was doing me I i' I'd want him to do it for my be my side of the things you know that but I didn't want to do like a love letter as well either you know it's kind of a warts and all thing we all have you know our our triumphs and we all have our insecurities and we all have our great assets and you know some of them might be so weak week and uh uh but uh he was a great man that's no question about that got a Ben uh Dennis uh Ben White here back back to me just a second you know if you go on the internet you can see some really funny stuff from from President Reagan I mean just enjoyable stuff did you have a chance to do that I mean I know you worked really hard on the rooll but just for fun kicks and Giggles did you just watch that oh yeah for sure I mean you know the best one is the second uh debate with mandale where he you know he said I will not for political purposes take advantage of my opponent's Youth and inexperience and you know but then he like he picked up the glass and took a sip of water to let it roll out and that's where he stole from Jack Benny in fact he was always hanging around Bob Pope and Jack Benny and uh stealing jokes from him basically that's what he was doing he always he always opened with a joke and he had that from you know his earliest experiences of public speaking because it put people at ease and you know and you get down to talking about serious stuff it's you kind of get a leg up if you've uh made people laugh first CLA belang hi Claire hi you're a pretty amazing Storyteller and uh just really good at talking through a lot of the things that you've done what's your impression of NASCAR and what got you here today and what do you think about the cowboys that Wrangle these cars man that's something else cuz I just love to drive I did the experience today in fact it was just uh 155 if you want to know that's what I go but uh I I just love to drive always have you know and I grew up at a time like AJ fo who was you know another Texon too and you know Mario andred he was you know back in those days that those guys I loved it when they used to get you know AJ FY would get really pissed and just get out of the car on the track and throw his helmet at somebody going by and you know those are fantastic days and it's gotten down to where I don't know if they if those guys could keep up with these guys are not just a muscle but uh you know Richard Petty too who probably did more for for NASCAR than anybody including I guess inventing it in a way he was uh I was going to play Richard Petty actually it uh in 2003 uh Disney uh offered me the chance to do that and um Richard Petty came down we were shooting a we were shooting a movie down here in Florida and Richard came down and met him and uh so I got a bunch of time at the homestead head track and that's what I love about what I do man you get to go through all these doors to say authorized personnel only you know and it's like like a a dream bucket list I don't need a bucket list I already I'm I'm on my fourth bucket but right now and uh but Richard was such a great guy and uh you know genuine authentic and that's you know that's what he also brought to everything he that was authenticity and that transferred onto NASCAR as well you know and uh it's uh we wound up not doing the movie because I think Disney realized that they were going to have to get some vintage cars and then wreck them and it was going to be uh I think it you know the budget probably doubled on on that so it never got off the ground damn it really wanted uh to do that any other what I'd like to play his dad actually yeah that's the interesting part because he was a hard noos guy you know he was something else I know I love those crotchy guys got one in the second row over there in the back Dyan Dylan Spalding with auto racing digest uh Dennis welcome to Daytona happy to have you here um what has it been like working uh at least partnering with with Ty and with Joe Gibbs in this project obviously seeing the car in in full display with with you on the on the hood what has kind of been that first off man that that car looks so good but the the way they came up with that I mean it's it's it's pretty incredible uh we were in North Carolina a couple of weeks ago spending time with them there there in the shop which is like man that thing is clean is fine and uh know yeah and uh did a practice Pit Stop which is Manda you're coming in there and I guess you're going what for me it was like 40 I'm sure you're coming in you know 60 until yeah 60 70 miles an hour what's the speed limit in there is it 65 here 65 yeah yeah just come those brakes work really good they're expensive yeah even more expensive now that I was on them but those guys running in front of you and you like that stop like they trust you or whatever it's really quite something is so much to racing as as a team effort to begin with that's you know it's like that's what really makes it interesting do we have any other questions anybody else thank you Dennis movie does come out August 30th Nationwide yeah enjoy the race yeah love to get all you baby boomers out there to you know you led the charge going to the movies back in the 80s well it's you know this is one that's made for you and take your kids cuz it's uh it's it's a great experience if you're born before 1985 it's a great chance to look back and remember how great this country was