Emmy Award-winning actor Dennis Quaid initially hesitated to portray President Ronald Reagan in a biopic, fearing judgment and unworthiness. However, after visiting Reagan's Southern California ranch and delving into his personal life, Quaid found a way to connect with the man behind the iconic figure.
Dennis Quaid's path to portraying President Ronald Reagan in an upcoming biopic was not without its initial apprehension. The Emmy Award-winning actor initially questioned his decision to play the 40th president six years ago, consumed by a profound sense of fear.
"I didn't say no, and I didn't say yes because, really, fear," Quaid exclusively told Fox News Digital. "Reagan was my favorite president personally, and he was also such a recognizable figure around the world, sort of like Muhammad Ali. Everybody knew what he looked like, sounded like, and so that was a pretty scary proposition."
Dennis Quaid's Reluctant Embrace: Playing Ronald Reagan in Presidential Biopic
Quaid's hesitation stemmed from a sense of unworthy and the daunting task of portraying a figure so deeply embedded in American history and collective memory. He feared the judgment that would inevitably come with such a portrayal.
"It was about feeling like I was going to be judged and feeling unworthy," Quaid said. "He was the great communicator and all that. But I didn't want to do an impersonation of him. I wanted to really kind of get to the core of who he was as a person. So, I put off saying yes."
Dennis Quaid's Reluctant Embrace: Playing Ronald Reagan in Presidential Biopic
It was not until Quaid visited Reagan's Southern California ranch that his perspective shifted. As he drove through a private gate and ascended a rugged road, he realized the humility that lay beneath Reagan's public persona.
"He was not a rich man, and there was a humility about him that was kind of the bedrock of who he was," Quaid said. "And I felt him. I felt this core there. They had the ‘Western White House.’ It was bought by a circle of friends after he passed to keep it as it was. And their clothes — he and Nancy's clothes were in the closet still, just like they were."
Dennis Quaid's Reluctant Embrace: Playing Ronald Reagan in Presidential Biopic
Quaid was struck by the modest 1,100-square-foot home, the "two single beds that were zip-tied together" to make a king-sized bed, and the three remote controls necessary to operate the television.
"He was the great communicator and all that," Quaid said. "But I didn't want to do an impersonation of him. I wanted to really kind of get to the core of who he was as a person. So, I put off saying yes."
Dennis Quaid's Reluctant Embrace: Playing Ronald Reagan in Presidential Biopic
Inspired by the ranch's simplicity and Reagan's evident dedication to manual labor, Quaid found his way in. He spoke to those close to Reagan and delved into his personal life, discovering a man of faith and principle.
"I talked to people who were close to him, you know, who knew him really well," Quaid said. "They all said there was a part of Ronald Reagan that was unknowable, that was very private, that you just couldn't penetrate. I think even Nancy felt that to a certain extent. You know, this is the great communicator."
Dennis Quaid's Reluctant Embrace: Playing Ronald Reagan in Presidential Biopic
Quaid also gained inspiration from Reagan's time as SAG president, which he believes served as a stepping stone to political office.
"Two things that we have in common is that we both have kind of sunny dispositions, and we're both actors," Quaid said. "I think Reagan kind of felt like a failure as an actor. In fact, I don't think he got to that place that he wanted to be."
Dennis Quaid's Reluctant Embrace: Playing Ronald Reagan in Presidential Biopic
Quaid believes Reagan was never given the opportunity to breakout of B-movies at Warner and turned to the Screen Actors Guild as an entry into politics.
"That was his entry into politics and very important," Quaid said. "I think that was his purpose."
Dennis Quaid's embrace of Ronald Reagan was a journey of discovery, leading him to a deeper understanding of the man behind the iconic figure. Through his portrayal, Quaid hopes to illuminate Reagan's humanness and the principles that guided his life and presidency.
