Dennis Quaid Explains Why He Almost Turned Down The Role Of President Ronald Reagan

there's nothing a retired Governor can do about the Soviets but a president now he can do a thing or two fantastic performances guys amazing job uh this is a this isn't a story about politics but a man that happens to be in politics and it's a fantastic journey in telling of a story um Dennis how first of all you completely immersed yourself being uh President Ronald Reagan I almost forgot at times I was watching Dennis qu I'm so familiar with your work but from the sound to the look every Nuance you had it there how you prepare for the role of Ronald Reagan and did you find any particular aspect of his life more challenging to portray well I had a year to do it I was offered the role I didn't say yes but it didn't say no he was my favorite President and everybody in the world like Muhammad Ali you know everybody knows him they they know Ronald Reagan or think they do so it 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 and uh kept it exactly as it was everything's in I could feel them I could really feel him there and that was that was really the beginning of it and I had a year to prepare and then there was Penelope here who basically channeled Nancy Reagan and so it made it very my job so much easier yeah Penelope I was just gonna 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 who was resource what was also the most resourceful help for you in preparing for the RO the most resourceful um uh help that I got from from playing her was reading her autobiography it's my turn um and um I learned so much about and you've talked about this before is is is coming you want to play a part coming from their point of view not looking at them from the outside or judging them like in person we didn't want neither one of us wanted to do that so reading her words her experiences her feelings she kept a journal during all those years and even from meeting him and uh to to to you know the end of his life and um I just well actually until he got on Alzheimer's but it was fascinating and it helped me so immensely because I really wanted to do her justice I feel I owe it to her Legacy um as a living breathing human being who people knew I just felt like you know I 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 in the wardrobe helped a lot that was another resource that I needed to get down um and playing opposite Dennis who I as you mentioned uh 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 because that is in essence the heart of the film Is This Love Story absolutely there's so much I learned about President Reagan's life throughout the course of this I look he first of all he was super witty he was Charming he was a great speaker uh Dennis what did you learn about Ronald Reagan that you didn't know before taking on this project well you know he was a very private man besides being the great communicator that's what really came you everybody said but you know but more than just like it's like it's not a school lesson going to this film it's about it's about feelings you know it's I go to the movies for what I feel and people are going to feel relationships feel what yeah 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 uh before 1985 to go back there you know that's we forget 90% of people thought we were going to be in a nuclear war like in 1980 and uh very imminent it was it was a different time and place but things are still the same it's funny people say you know growing up in the 80s was so much fun and I hear that all the time and I think it does bring you back to that life then you know if you lived in that that time um and so I think it's fun to watch uh to see all that um and to go back there and uh and learn like you said about who these people were and that is in essence they were human beings but what made them become these iconic figures I know it's such an interesting uh insight into a man's life that that that was the great communicator I'm so happy I got to watch this film and enjoy it thank you guys so much for your time I really appreciate it than you thank you so much curious Ron what would you say is the issue of our time no question about it communism and the Soviet Union [Music]