I'ma LUCKY MAN

The longtime actor talks about family, faith and his new role in Reagan

- Lindsay Hoffman

Over the years, Dennis Quaid has played many historical figures — from music legend Jerry Lee Lewis to President Bill Clinton — but walking in the shoes of the 40th president, Ronald Reagan, was daunting. “When I play real people, I feel a responsibility to play them from their point of view,” Dennis tells Closer. “And I didn’t want to do an impersonation.” Getting inside the mind of the actorturned-world leader also presented some unique challenges. “It was difficult because Reagan, the great communicator, was also a very, very private person,” he explains. “So many people that knew him said there was this place beyond which you could not penetrate him.”

The film’s shoot was also complicated by real-life events. “Reagan was filmed in 2020 in Oklahoma, right after the COVID pandemic began,” the film’s director, Sean McNamara, tells Closer. “We had very strict protocols in place, [but] most of the crew ended up contracting COVID. There were so many obstacles along the way, but we were determined to see it through.” Reagan is in theaters now.

Why did you want to take on the role of Ronald Reagan?

He was my favorite president. He’s a giant of the 20th century for ending the Cold War. And he had a really interesting life. I was honored to play him.

Did you learn anything new about him?

For one thing, he was not a rich man. I was invited to the Reagan ranch, which was the Western White House during his time as president. The house is 1,100 square feet. Maybe. They had a king-size bed, but it was two single beds that were zip-tied together. It was simple. He was a humble man. I think that is something the public wasn’t aware of.

What first got you interested in acting?