Dennis Quaid Honors Ronald Reagan with Heartfelt Tribute

Introduction welcome to your life I was a lifeguard on a river  there's no turn and I learned how to read the currents not just the ones on the surface  but also the ones deep underneath the water Attraction to Reagan Role Dennis I want to welcome you to focus on the  family it's great to be here you you have been   promoting yeah you have been promoting this  movie I know that takes a lot of energy you   know one thing I saw it last night I watched  the screener it's really so so good but I   guess the first question is the obvious one What  attracted you to do this I mean you got different   scripts coming your way what was the draw I was  offered this movie in 2018 that with Mark Joseph   and I done a movie um a soul serer right  that about Bethany Hamilton uh which you   was labeled a faith movie I call them good  movies but you know it's a great story yeah   and um great story anyway her brother uh Noah  called me up and said hey these guys are want   you to do ran I said rean you want me me to do  Reagan why would anybody want me to do Reagan   so I went and met with them and they offered me  the part and it was like I have had this fear go   up my spine you know because I didn't think I  looked like Reagan you know granted we're both   actors we both have Sunny dispositions I think  but uh he was also my favorite President and   everybody in the world knows what he looks like  he's like Mohammad Ali you know everybody in the   world has an opinion knows what he looks like and  uh but usually what I have that that fear uh it's   usually a sign that I should do that get out of  my gets me out of my comfort zone you know what I   mean yeah but do you like that do you like getting  out of your comfort zone most people don't like   getting out of their comfort zone well we're all  dragged kicking and screaming out of our comfort   zones but then we go oh man that was I'm so glad I  did that yeah but yeah that's I mean that's way it   is uh when you walk walk as a Christian too in it  getting dragged out of your comfort zone yeah to   The Ranch yeah I didn't say yes I didn't say no and I had to  sit with it and really think about it uh my mother   definitely wanted me to do it and uh you know and  uh I just I just wanted to do him Justice I didn't   want to do an impersonation uh like Saturday Night  Live or something like that so I I I sat with but   I went up I got invited to the Reagan Ranch which  is not open to the public it was the Western White   House right and I went up there you go up five  miles to the worst Road in California and you   get to the top and come out through the front gate  and I could feel Reagan in that place I could feel   who he was his Spirit his who he was yeah for for  first it's obvious that he was a humble man and it   was he was not a rich man right which uh kind of  took me a back cuz I always thought of it in that   way you know CU he was president but you know the  Western White House that that house there is 1100   square ft that you know he bought that like right  after uh governorship uh they had a king-sized   bed but it was two single beds that were zip  tied together yeah some friends bought that   place and they left it exactly as it was uh you  feel like Ron and Nancy left and they're coming   back any moment they're close are in the closet  anyway that's when I I I said yes cuz I could I   could feel him as a person and I felt like I could  get there let me ask you you know for our audience   Reagan's Faith our listeners and viewers the faith component  uh has always been intriguing with President   Reagan sometimes on full display sometimes very  quiet of course ny's role in some of that uh you   know it was uh not always clear where she was  but uh it certainly comes through in the movie   you did a the writers and you in that acting role  did a wonderful job pulling that out how did you   feel about it now as a Christian yourself you  know accentuating those aspects of who he was just   defit something that was manufactured by Reagan  or anything or any kind of just Public Image to   put up there it was you know from the time he was  a boy you know and uh he was he was in the church   and that's where he learned public speaking was  in the church his mother was like like my mother   too was you know a devout chrisan as well and  um like I said nothing manufactured by him and   I think after his assassination uh there was  a recommitment there the assassination attempt   yeah assassination attempt yes thank God and where  you know he even said it TI O'Neal this you know   my life is no longer mine it belongs to the man  upstairs and there's a lot to do let's move to you   Dennis Quaid's Faith for a minute you grew up in the Baptist Church  you mentioned your mom and Reagan's mom being   very similar uh okay so so many parents in this  community in our listenership you know they're   taking their kids to church there might be a five  seven nine year-old Dennis Quaid amongst them you   you didn't stick with it per se but now you've  made the full turn just describe you know kind   of your hopes that your mom had for you the  disappointments that may have occurred your   journey there a little bit and and what brought  you back to faith in God well I I've always had   faith in God but it's it's about we go to church  and Sunday school like every Sunday basically up   until I was about 12 and uh but then I I I  got disillusioned with what I think I call   churchianity mhm you know uh which may may be a  perceived thing too you know as as a Young Man uh   but that was just the way I I I perceived it and  I saw it and uh I um so I got you know this was in   the 60s and I got into uh I read to sidartha at  in high school which kind of opened me up to uh   reading about other religions to you know around  the world like what happens to those billion   Chinese are they going to hell you know just those  kinds of questions really just uh didn't seem like   you know how could God be this way and not and uh  you know and not the other and uh but anyway I I   read the DAP I read the bagita I read the Quran  I went around the world asking every everyone   around the world about you know who's God to you  and uh cuz I I guess I'm a seeker and then I also   you know ex tried to fill that hole that was there  you know that can't be filled through other things   like uh drugs and alcohol or achievements or  whatever there is in uh life that has to offer   you know that you think is going to finally or  a relationship that you think is finally going   to fill that hole for you and you know and  I wound up in rehabbing uh in the 1990 and I   read the Bible already I think you know twice  by that time I was in my 40s but I read I read   the Bible again and especially this time read the  New Testament and it was the read words of Jesus   that really kind brought me back really what it  was about was a personal relationship with with   God With Jesus Christ in in in particular and that  is the thing that started to really nurture inside   me that relationship and has grown and you know  spurted grow spurts and stumbles and Falls but you   know it's still it's always there and it's that  is my rock yeah I was thinking uh you know when   God Reaching Down to Us you look at other religions I studied in Japan  for some of my college time and you know I had   the similar experience of looking at other things  Buddhism shintu ISM but you know I think it was   Josh McDow or one of those leading evangelists  back here in the US who always said you know the   difference with Christianity is Christianity is  the only religion where God is reaching us all the   others are built on Works us trying to reach him  praying so many times a day you know doing good   works which are you know import for for meditating  for how many years until you become enlightened   or whatever that that and I I do believe in  meditation I think you know I think when Christ   Jesus talked about prayer it's prayer and  meditation you know meditating on God which is   all great but as far as like just calling out his  name and he's here right now yeah In This Moment   well it's just like the god way to do it you know  you don't have to build it to me I will make a way   for you it's just if you're going to believe in a  God wouldn't that be the god you'd want to believe   in a God that prepared the way for you that made  the sacrifice all of them just as I am right just   as I am right kind what led me to the Lord in  my 20s too I mean I made a commitment to Christ   at 15 but then wobbled as I like to say until I  really made that harder commitment at about 22   and realized okay this has to be more serious  and I was certainly lacking that uh you know   Christian Influence for yourself oftentimes for me it was a football  coach that got me pointed in the right direction   when you look back on your own life are there two  or three people that really made that difference   for you uh oh yeah for sure who were they and what  were they yeah well my mother who was my rock good   old my life yeah she always there I mean even when  nobody else was or I felt like I didn't deserve it   you know uh that's uh that's uh she was she was  really that and uh you know in as far as my early   years my dad I really had a great relationship  with my dad you know it was a um a complicated   Rel relationship you know very much like Reagan in  a sense his dad was alcoholic but at the same time   the life of the party or whatever and uh very kind  of outgoing he was he was a really good man my dad   but uh there was a teacher in uh in uh College  acting teacher who really had a big effect in my   life as far as uh this where I was going to go and  he really made acting seem interesting you know it   was like psychology about what makes people tick  and uh Billy Graham had a a uh had a huge effect   to my life still I mean still does really um he  was like the real deal and you know um that he was   I almost felt like he was uh like my my father  in a sense my you know my spiritual uh father   here on Earth uh just just growing up you know  I never met him or anything and uh but uh uh you   he was he was just an an amazing person you know I  hadn't thought about it this way but when you look   at Billy Graham and of course you and I grew up  you know watching his Crusades Etc and then you   see Reagan there are attributes in the two of them  that are similar this commitment to Simplicity you   Billy Graham & Ronald Reagan know Billy Graham didn't get lost in the weeds  he didn't he didn't get caught up in debates   about himself either I mean it's always the  gospel always this is what Jesus has said this   is what he's done for you why not respond to his  invitation and you know in some ways in the film   The Reagan film you you all did a great job of  boiling down the essence of Reagan to be simple   and straightforward and there's just not to leave  wiggle room with words but say what you mean mean   what you say Let's uh you know again the movie's  coming out this weekend you can find where to see   Music it's going to be a great show I do notice the  guitars everybody that's visually watching this   is going ask him about the guitars Jim but you've  also done a number of albums and you're musically   gifted which is funny it's like the right side of  your brain is working huh well right or left side   yeah I think it's left brain is accounting and  right side is Arts and Music I don't know but   I don't know but anyway talk about your music uh  well I had a go did a gospel record uh last year   that came out and uh it's called Fallen I call  it Fallen a gospel record for Sinners because I   one of the biggest audience possible I could get  I think we all qualify for that yeah and it's a   uh half of it is songs that I grew up with in the  Baptist Church that I love so much and then the   other half are songs that I wrote uh before and  and during the making of the record and then it   all adds up basically to my spiritual journey  I think that's really cool you know looking   Hollywood & Faith at Christianity in Hollywood I know Mark Bernett  romad dowy and a handful of other people that you   know do such a good job representing the Lord as  they're working professionally and kind of top of   their game and doing the right things and but it's  got to be kind of a difficult environment you've   moved out of California now but describe for us  just that world living in that world that bubble   and trying to be a person of faith I you know we  all have probably ideas is of what that looks like   but uh is it difficult or is it okay if you're  living to who you are and being true you generally   get a hearing it you know I I think Hollywood gets  that but I think there's really quite a lot of uh   people of Faith out here they they may not speak  publicly about it you know maybe you know because   they feel like o going to get cancelled or yeah  I've heard that there are a lot of Christians you   know very some very vibrant churches out here I  was really when I first got out here Jess Moody   I don't know if you're familiar with uh Jess Moody  he was in Florida and he was he's quite an amazing   uh preacher Baptist preacher at First Baptist  Church of Van eyes over there and then uh Greg   Lor actually yeah correct today I mean he's doing  great things I was just uh at his Crusade at uh   Angel Stadium and 45 45,000 people they filled the  place to the rafters yeah they had they had 6,000   people he's kind of the modern in every eight  people came down he's like the modern version of   Billy Graham I think I mean he's the guy that  stepped into the role he's got such a great   demeanor such a great delivery it's inviting he's  authentic you're attracted to what he's having to   say and yeah he really has filled that that role I  think he's authentic and he and he says it for a a   another generation coming you know it's like the  same thing and it's it's well it's authentic it's   he he doesn't try to manufacture it you know  there a funny story Mark Bernett was telling   me when he was doing the Bible along with Roman  Downey but they were doing those features ad and   the Bible and they did really well I think it  was on History Channel but he was talking to   the executives at the different production houses  mostly Jewish leadership and he said uh as he was   pitching it they were saying yeah just do the Old  Testament we'll cover the cost of doing the Old   Testament he goes well that's not really the whole  Bible and he said they would say yeah well okay   throw in the New Testament but leave out the Jesus  parts and I thought that is such a funny story and   he he took it in stride and he was able to do it  the way he needed to do it which represented the   true scriptures both Old and New Testament but I  thought it was so funny yeah do the Bible without   the Jesus Parts without the Jesus thing yeah  that's yeah that's the that's the the thinking   out here in a way you know and Hollywood still  hasn't gotten it yet uh to tell you the truth you   I think they had it back in the 50s remember you  like Charlton hon and you know they used to you   how many uh movies uh zeph in there was a lot of  movies about Jesus you Ben herd there was a you   know all kinds of uh the The Ten Commandments um  but Hollywood just they felt like they were too   cool for school or something I guess but Faith  movies they you know when they started out they   were very basic it took him a while but then Along  Came the Sha and then I got involved and I can   only imagine and of course uh Soul Server which  is uh you know faith aspirational film I think and   they have these predictors these trackers you  know about what the box office is going to do   and and I can only imagine you know and they're  usually really right spooky but they said I can   only imagine oh it's maybe make $2 million for the  weekend we made $17 million for a weekend and they   scratch their heads and they now they have these  advis advisers in the agencies and the studios   that are their faith people that are yeah going  have to look for uh material or whatever but they   really still don't get it well I think you know  the The Wonder of our faith is that I think we   can remain calm you know I've been telling this  my wife and I have been doing this devotion we're   just talking about the fact that you know it says  in the word that every knee shall bow in every   tongue confess so I believe that will be true now  it's a matter of how do we persuade others to look   at Jesus and his claims and try to help people see  the light literally and we don't need to have uh   anger or negative energy toward people we need to  love them and show them and talk with them what   Spiritual Awakening it is we believe and I do think if we did that  successfully the country would have a Hunger for   More of the good stuff that you've done here with  the Reagan movie and the other movies I think the   country does have a hunger yeah for for for that  stuff there's a lot more of it now than there was   even years ago yeah that's true you know and I I  said this when Co came along and in a sense it's   that I I feel that there is a spiritual awakening  going on in this country right now H that you know   uh spiritual Awakenings don't actually feel that  that warm and fussy you know that's that's what   they're all about you know it's like a spiritual  Revolution but it's happening and uh I think it's   a wonderful thing that people are really starting  to wake up because they've been out there they've   tried they're like me they they've tried they've  tried a lot of other stuff that doesn't work well   that's the whole point filling that hole that you  talked about whether it's drug abuse alcoholism   relationships I mean that's what's so tough when  you talk to people to say this will fill that void   and and you know haven't it feels like Dennis we  haven't progressed far from the garden we're still   saying no we we know best we know the knowledge  of life we will pursue it and then in the end   God just lets you run to the end of that road and  then you look off that cliff and go okay maybe I   wasn't right yeah yeah yeah yeah God doesn't want  you to eat that because you'll be immortal like   him yeah that's what we're all looking for but  it's like uh and you know nations are like people   you know you have to find out for yourself you you  go out there and that's why you have free will and   uh you try things but uh hopefully you come back  to that which actually works without a doubt you   know which is that personal relationship the uh  I'm an old football playing guy but the movie I   Reagan's Last Days cried in two or three points but probably the  tears that fell the hardest were at the end   of the movie where uh Reagan's diagnosis with  Alzheimer's came into full bloom and him riding   the horse with the secret service at the very end  and you know Reagan asking can we just have one   more ride I mean I was like choked up as could be  and uh it was moving and of course then the portra   the real footage of his funeral I mean the there  are things in there that are yeah I mean just her   at the casket kind of stroking the casket saying  her goodbyes that is you know those are meaningful   moments in life that Define what's important it's  Why We Fight The Way We Fight here to focus on   the family because in the end as you know that's  what's going to matter the most who's around your   death bed who is it that's going to stand there  at your funeral and say this was a good man and uh   man that's where I choked up I was like yes that's  what to live for yeah in the end uh you know I won   be on my deathbed go gosh I wish I'd done that  movie or did this that if you know if anything   it was it would be about I wished I'd attended you  know with my family my kids my mom and my dad I I   wish you could have said this I wish you you know  I try uh I really try to remember that in raising   my kids and also try to remember that in being  a son um that uh you know our time out here is   precious and we need to enjoy our life we need to  enjoy each other it's so good I mean that's what   Legacy it's about and we try to convince people every  day of that what do you think looking back all   the great movies you've done what do you want your  legacy to be oh I I I really you know I I hope   that my kids say I was a good dad yeah that would  be you know that uh that would be a great legacy   and to be a really good uh husband to my uh wife  who I just adore with every everything and my life   and uh God is in a relationship and that's one  of the big reasons for its strength but just that   it's the simple things that what it comes down to  because I I like to say to you know people when   you start thinking about oh you know the doing  big deals being an actor or movie stars of this   I say uh who here uh knows who Tyrone Power was  and they got they get up a lot of blank stairs I   said he was the Tom Cruz of the late 40s and  uh you know who remembers what except that   which is eternal that sounds like Ecclesiastes or  Proverbs right these things are fleeting they're   going to pass but you know that's how we build  into our kids hopefully this idea of character   meaning about what's important yeah about what  is important in this life well Dennis this has   been great I so appreciate it uh God bless you in  your quest both uh you know just personally with   your family and your career and what God has left  for you to do and also for this movie the Reagan   movie again which opens this weekend people can  look for it locally it's going to be on I'm sure   hundreds if not thousands of screens so go out  it's going to be thousands want to hear over 3   theaters uh and you know message to the Baby  Boomers man we were the one that we were the   ones that really created the movie business I  need you to get out there again movie and leave   the charge and take your kids yeah yeah kids will  need to see it I'm going to take my boys for sure   you delivered it greatly and in a beautiful way  so thank you again for that Dennis God bless you   go see I had a really great time talking with  you thanks for having me likewise take care   God bless actor Dennis Quaid on focus on the  family with Jim Daly and it was so nice of him   Outro to carve out the time to talk with you you've  really got me motivated to see the film well I   hope you will that's the idea and it's worthwhile  and again there are some great faith elements in   the movie and it's uh obviously in a political  context but it's not a political movie it's   been in the works for years that the timing was  just what it was and it's really about Reagan's   entire life from his childhood to the end of  his life I there were three times I teared   up in the movie as well uh take the family  and enjoy a good film that talks about good   things it opens this Friday yeah and we've  got a link to a trailer of the Reagan movie   in our program description you know John also  I don't want it to pass without emphasizing   what Dennis was talking about in his own faith  Journey that he accepted Christ wobbled along   did things he shouldn't do I appreciate that he  came out of drug rehab and you know he's had that   Hollywood life and I want to make sure that if  you're in that spot you don't have a personal   relationship with Jesus Christ call us we have a  great uh ebooklet that we can send you it's called   coming home it explains what it means to become  a Christian and I want to make sure that that   invitation is extended to you so call us and allow  us to explain to you what it means to become a   Christian don't hold back it's the most important  decision you're ever going to make in your life   it's one for eternity yeah our number is 800 the  letter a and the word family and uh you can also   find that booklet coming home on our website  we've got a link in the program description   you can download it right from there well thanks  for watching focus on the family with Jim Daly I'm   John Fuller inviting you back next time as we once  again help you and your family thrive in Christ