NEW YORK, Aug. 30 (UPI) — Penelope Ann Miller and Dennis Quaid say they tried hard to capture the essence of Nancy and Ronald Reagan in their new big-screen biopic and not simply imitate the former U.S. presidential couple. Reagan.
The film, which hits theaters Friday, follows Ronald's colorful life and career from his Illinois childhood to his roles as a lifeguard, sports anchor, U.S. Army soldier, movie star, Screen Actors Guild president, governor of California and the 40th president of the United States, who died in 2004 at age 93.
Nancy (née Davis) Reagan was an actress and Ronald Reagan's beloved and trusted second wife. She passed away in 2016 at the age of 94.
“It was a daunting task going up against these really iconic figures,” Miller, 60, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
“we, Saturday Night Life “In terms of characterization, I wanted to make them real, human, multi-layered people with flaws,” she said.
Miller, whose previous roles include Biloxi Blues, Adventures in Babysitting, The Freshman, Chaplin, Carlito's Way, Riverdale and Dahmer, said she did a tremendous amount of research to prepare for the role of Nancy Reagan.
“I read her autobiography and I carried it on set and now it's all ripped and the corners are broken, but I wanted to capture her essence and as a person who lived, I feel an obligation to honour her legacy, for better, for worse or neither,” Miller said. “I wasn't trying to criticise her. I was trying to be her.”
Quaid, 70, is known for his portrayals of historical and cultural figures, including aerospace engineer Gord Cooper. The right oneRock and Roll Pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis Giant FireballDoc Holliday Wyatt Earp, US President Bill Clinton A special relationship.
“I try to play real people from their perspective, and that's very important to me,” Quaid said. “It's a responsibility.”
The actor also said he wanted to go beneath the surface and show a side of Ronald Reagan that some people may not know.
“Reagan had a very private inner world that I heard about from everyone who knew him. This great communicator had a very private wall. [that] I think I only ever opened up to Nancy,” Quaid added.
“She also talked about how difficult it was for her to understand his private persona,” Miller added.
Miller believes it was Nancy's belief in her husband's greater purpose that helped him navigate dangerous geopolitical situations during his two terms as a Republican president in the 1980s.
“He trusted Nancy the most. I think the love story in this film is just so beautiful to watch and to watch develop. As they get older, their love gets stronger and stronger and I think that's what made him the man he was,” Miller said.
“She really believed in him. [back him up].”
When asked why now was a good time to release the film, Quaid laughed and replied, “It's an election year!”
Miller said it's “very, very, very strange” that the movie was filmed almost four years ago and is finally being released in theaters at the very moment that former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris are vying for the nation's highest office.
“The movie is not political,” Quaid said, and Miller agreed: “We didn't want it to have any agenda.”
“This is a man's life, [him and his wife]as well,” Quaid added. “But now that it's coming out, what do we know? There's a lot of interest.”
Miller stressed that the film's casting has nothing to do with its release date.
“Some people are saying, 'Perfect timing, perfect timing,' and I've had a lot of people say that,” she said, “but maybe in some ways it's time for people to see the story of what the '80s was like.”
The film portrays Ronald Reagan, who was a Democrat for decades before becoming a Republican, as emblematic of the ideas of freedom, confidence and optimism of his era.
“When you watch this film, you'll understand and feel what the country was like then and what it could be like now,” Quaid said.
“People could talk to each other. [then]” Miller added.
“They may be in different positions, but they can interact and have a dialogue and we have to get back at that,” she said. “It's very divisive, it's very negative. I hope people can have their opinion. This is my opinion, but at the end of the day, we're human beings and we have to be open to it.” [each other].”
