‘Reagan’ star Dennis Quaid on not worrying about being ‘canceled’ over presidential role
Dennis Quaid talked to Fox News Digital about why the Ronald Reagan biopic isn’t political and brushing off people trying to ‘cancel’ him over the role.
Dennis Quaid knows what people think of him playing Ronald Reagan in the new biopic "Reagan," but he’s not concerned.
"It's a biopic. It's a love story. It's about all of us as America, where we used to be," Quaid told Fox News Digital of the new film. "A lot of that gets twisted because people have agendas. And so, yeah, they tried to cancel me a couple of times, but so what?"
He also knows how people feel about the 40th president.
"When Reagan was president as well, you know, they called him a warmonger. But this is the guy who ended the Cold War, by the way, and made peace with the Soviets. But it took a cold warrior like that. … And they called him a third-rate actor, this and that," Quaid said.
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Dennis Quaid said his new biopic on Ronald Reagan is "about all of us as America, where we used to be." (Getty Images)
But, in his opinion, "Reagan was like everybody's dad at the time that he was president. And, like all families, that's either you admire your dad or you’re rebelling against your dad. And there's a lot of those feelings still hold on. That's what we were going through with politics or whatever in this country today, a lot of people wanting to kind of relate that to Reagan and make this a political movie, which it’s not."
The issue of the film’s politics has become a larger point of controversy when it came to marketing the film on Facebook.
"They tried to cancel me a couple of times, but so what?"
"The one thing I would say was Facebook, before they did censor materials relating to it, is that they did it without even seeing it," the "Parent Trap" star said. "So, we’ll offer them a private screening if they want."
Earlier this month, Quaid and the film’s marketing team claimed Facebook wouldn’t allow them to boost a post with Quaid's picture promoting the movie through a paid advertisement. Also, Facebook suspended the movie's official account at least twice over clips it posted of Quaid discussing the movie in media appearances.
Quaid claimed Facebook "did censor" ads for "Reagan" on the platform "without even seeing it." (Rocco Spaziani/Archivio Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
The marketers said they were told by Facebook that the post "mentions politicians or is about sensitive issues that could influence public opinion, how people vote and may impact the outcome of an election or pending legislation."
In a previous interview with Fox News' Trace Gallagher, Quaid said the system appears to be "automated."
"This happened several times, actually, and we were suspended two days in a row," Quaid said. "The last time I heard, Reagan hasn’t been on the ballot in 40 years and, not only that, he’s not even eligible to run because he served two terms."
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A Meta spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital, "While there are no restrictions on this page that would prevent the admins from posting, we did identify a handful of ads from this account that were incorrectly rejected. This happened because our automated systems mistakenly determined that content about President Reagan required prior authorization in accordance with our policies for ads about social Issues, elections or politics. This was a mistake, and the restriction on the ads has been lifted."
Quaid’s "Reagan" co-star, Penelope Ann Miller, who plays former first lady Nancy Reagan, was also surprised by the apparent restriction of the ads.
Penelope Ann Miller, who plays Nancy Reagan, was surprised by the apparent restrictions Facebook placed on ads for "Reagan." (Getty Images)
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"This is the person that was our president for eight years, 40 years ago. What does this have to do with politics or this election? It doesn’t" she said. "And it just so happens it’s coming out in an election year, but that was not by design."
Miller echoed Quaid’s comments that the film is not intended to be any kind of political statement.
"The one thing I would say was, Facebook before they did censor materials relating to it, is that they did it without even seeing it."
"It is a biopic, and it is a story about these iconic people's lives, how this man became president. And it's a love story," she said. "It's funny, and it's, I think, moving at the end and that's where we want to go for movies. I think we’re assaulted all the time with special effects and horror and whatnot, and I think to see a movie about real people that have relationships that is character-driven, it's kind of fun to watch."
Getting into character as two of the more recognizable people from the past century had its challenges for Quaid and Miller.
Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller in character as Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan. (Rob Batzdorff/Rawhide Pictures)
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"It was really a daunting task. I was excited, but I was also nervous. For obvious reasons, she's Nancy Reagan. An iconic figure, and a lot of people know who she is," Miller said.
The "Carlito’s Way" star said she did an "enormous" amount of research to get in character and focus on Nancy as a person.
WATCH: ‘REAGAN’ STARS DENNIS QUAID AND PENELOPE ANN MILLER ON GETTING INTO CHARACTER AS FAMOUS FIRST COUPLE
"You can't judge someone when you're playing them. So, whatever anybody thinks of them, you have to play them, you have to embody them," she said. "I wanted to honor her legacy, and I wanted to do her justice. And I felt I owed it to her. … That was important to me. [She was] real and flawed and not perfect. Just a real human being."
Similarly, Quaid didn’t want to do an "impersonation" of his "favorite president" but was nervous at the prospect of playing such a recognizable figure.
While doing research, Quaid said, "I realized that Reagan was not a rich man, and I could feel his humility, really, and his humbleness" while visiting the private Reagan ranch. (Noah "Nanea" Hamilton/Rawhide Pictures)
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"I was afraid, to tell you the truth. It took some thinking about it because how do I find a way in behind a public persona that he had?" he said. "Because I do want to play for real people from their point of view.
"But I went to the Reagan ranch, which is not open to the public. Their clothes are still there, just like they left them. They had a king-sized bed, but it was two single beds that were tied together, and you could really feel them. I realized that Reagan was not a rich man, and, I could feel his humility, really, and his humbleness in that place there, and that was kind of my way in."
WATCH: ‘REAGAN’ STAR DENNIS QUAID ON ‘BROKEN DOWN’ POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND WHY ‘WE NEED EACH OTHER’ AS AMERICANS
Quaid said "Reagan" is meant to be a "reminder" of "how great this country was and still could be" for audiences new and old and hopes the country can find a way to even out political conversations again.
"Everybody knows what was going on over the last four years. You know that the dialog is broken down and people are afraid to speak up. Republicans and Democrats, we're going to figure this out eventually because we do need each other. We keep each other from going too far this way or that way," he said.
Quaid said "Reagan" is a "reminder" of "how great this country was and still could be." (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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"We're Americans, and we want the same things. We have different ways of going about it and getting there, and people have forgotten how to have that dialogue. In our movie, in [those] times, you have liberal and conservative Democrats. It wasn't so black and white as it is. We need to get back to that place. You know, just because you disagree with me on 30% of what we're talking about does, you know, it doesn't make you a 30% enemy or 70% friend."
"Reagan" is in theaters Aug. 30.
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