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Dennis Quaid Honors Ronald Reagan with Heartfelt Tribute

Focus on the Family / Jim Daly
The Truth Network Radio
August 27, 2024 2:00 am

Dennis Quaid Honors Ronald Reagan with Heartfelt Tribute

Focus on the Family / Jim Daly

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August 27, 2024 2:00 am

Dennis Quaid joins Focus on the Family for an exclusive interview about his portrayal of Ronald Reagan in the upcoming film. The actor discusses his experience bringing the iconic president to life and shares insights into Reagan's faith and legacy.

 

From Hollywood to the White House, Reagan's life story is a testament to the American Dream. The film explores the challenges and triumphs faced by the former president as he navigated the complexities of both domestic and international politics.

  

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It was really, what it was about was a personal relationship with God, with Jesus Christ in particular. And that is the thing that started to really nurture inside me, that relationship. And has grown and, you know, spurted, growth spurts and stumbles and falls, but you know, it's always there.

And it's, that is my rock. That's actor Dennis Quaid starring in the new movie, Reagan, talking about how God began to speak to him through his scriptures years ago when Dennis was in drug rehabilitation. Today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, you'll hear a conversation that Dennis had with Jim, and I think you're going to find it really enjoyable and interesting. Welcome to the show, I'm John Fuller. John, it was fun talking to Dennis Quaid this week about the Reagan movie coming out this Friday, and it should be in a theater near everyone.

They're going to release on thousands of screens. We also discussed his personal faith in Christ and what he's observing in Hollywood regarding spiritual things. And you know, it's really interesting to talk to these folks who have, you know, kind of gotten to the top of their game. In his case, acting, and he's been in some great films over the years. He's doing a lot more Christian films now, and I think that's an outcome of his Christian faith.

It's more serious today than perhaps in years past. But I enjoy talking to people that are in that space and trying to do the Lord's work in the arts. And I was able to screen the Reagan film, and I enjoyed it. And I'm looking forward to seeing it again with the family. I think it highlighted a lot of the good things that Reagan stood for. Not so much politically, but integrity and honesty in so many ways. And the people around him, they do a good job developing the support cast that was in the White House at the time. But more importantly is really the spiritual element of what was going on. Yeah, and Dennis has been in so many movies, Jim.

The Parent Trap, The Rookies, Soul Surfer, I can only imagine. Lots of accolades in the industry, the film and television industry. He's a musician.

He recorded a gospel album called Fallen, a gospel record for sinners. And he was in Los Angeles promoting the film and took some time to speak with you via video call. And in fact, the full conversation is heard on your podcast, Refocus with Jim Daly.

And as a listener, you can find that link in the show notes. Let's go ahead and hear the discussion. Here's Jim with Dennis Quaid on today's episode of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. Dennis, I want to welcome you to Focus on the Family. It's great to be here. Thanks, Jim. Thanks for having me. Yeah, you have been promoting this movie. I know that takes a lot of energy. You know, one thing I saw it last night, I watched the screener.

It's really so, so good. But I guess the first question is the obvious one. What attracted you to do this? I mean, you got different scripts coming your way.

What was the draw? I was offered this movie in 2018. I met with Mark Joseph. And I'd done a movie, A Soul Surfer, about Bethany Hamilton. Which was labeled a faith movie.

I call them good movies. It's a great story. Anyway, her brother, Noah, called me up and said, Hey, these guys want you to do Reagan. I said, Reagan? You want me to do Reagan? Why would anybody want me to do Reagan?

So I went and met with them and they offered me the part. And it was like, I have had this fear go up my spine. You know, because I didn't think I looked like Reagan. Granted, we're both actors. We both have so many dispositions, I think. He was also my favorite president. And everybody in the world knows what he looks like. He's like Muhammad Ali.

Everybody in the world has an opinion, knows what he looks like. And so usually when I have that fear, it's usually a sign that I should do that. Because it gets me out of my comfort zone, you know what I mean?

But I didn't say yes. Do you like getting out of your comfort zone? Most people don't like getting out of their comfort zone. Well, we're all dragged kicking and screaming out of our comfort zones. But then we go, Oh, that was, I'm so glad I did that. But yeah, that's, I mean, that's the way it is.

When you walk the walk as a Christian too, and it getting dragged out of your comfort zone. Yeah. Yeah. But anyway, so I, I didn't say yes, I didn't say no. And I have to sit with it and really think about it.

My mother definitely wanted me to do it. And you know, and I sat with, but I went up, I got invited to the Reagan ranch, which is not open to the public. It was the Western white house. Right.

And I went up there and you go up five miles to the worst road in California, and you get to the top and come out through the front gate. And I could feel Reagan in that place. I could feel who he was, his spirit, his who he was. Yeah.

For first day, it's obvious that he was a humble man. And it was, he was not a rich man. Right. Which kind of took me aback because I always thought of it in that way, you know, cause he was president, but you know, the, the Western white house that, that house there is 1100 square feet. That, you know, he bought that like right after a governorship, they had a King size bed, but it was two single beds that were zip tied together. Yeah.

Some friends bought that place that they left it exactly as it was. So you feel like Ron and Nancy left and they're coming back any moment. They're closer in the closet. But anyway, that's when I, I. I said, yes, cause I could, I could feel him as a person and I felt like I could get there. Let me ask you, you know, for our audience, our listeners and viewers, the faith component has always been intriguing with president Reagan, sometimes on full display, sometimes very quiet. Of course, Nancy's role in some of that, uh, you know, it was not always clear where she was, but, uh, it certainly comes through in the movie. You did, uh, the writers and you in that acting role did a wonderful job pulling that out. How did you feel about it now as a Christian yourself, you know, accentuating those aspects of who he was? Well, that definitely wasn't something that was manufactured by Reagan or anything or any kind of just public image to put up there. It was, you know, from the time he was a boy, you know, and, uh, he was in the church and that's where he learned public speaking was in the church. His mother was like, like my mother too, was, you know, a devout Christian as well. And, um, so that was, that was like I said, nothing manufactured by him.

And I think after his assassination attempt, you know, he even said it, tip O'Neill, this, you know, my life is no longer mine. It belongs to the man upstairs. And there's a lot to do. Let's move to you for a minute. You grew up in the Baptist church. You mentioned your mom and Reagan's mom being very similar. Uh, okay. So, so many parents in this community and our listenership, you know, they're taking their kids to church.

There might be a five, seven, nine year old Dennis Quaid amongst them. You didn't stick with it per se, but now you've made the full turn. Just describe, you know, kind of your hopes that your mom had for you, the disappointments that may have occurred your journey there a little bit. And, and what brought you back to faith in God? Well, I've always had faith in God. It's, it's about, uh, I think we're going to church, uh, Sunday school, like every Sunday, basically up until I was about 12. And, uh, but then I, I got disillusioned with what I think I call churchianity, you know, uh, which may be a perceived thing too, you know, as, as a young man. Uh, but that was just the way I, I, I perceived it and I saw it. And, uh, so I got, you know, this was in the sixties and I got into, uh, I read to Siddhartha, uh, in high school, which kind of opened me up to, uh, reading about other religions too. And you know, around the world, like what happens to those billion Chinese?

Are they going to hell? You know, those kinds of questions really just, uh, didn't seem like, you know, how could God be this way and not, and, uh, and not the other. And, uh, but anyway, I, I read the Dhammapada, read the Bhagavad Gita. I read the Quran.

I went around the world asking every everyone around the world, but, you know, who's God to you. And, uh, cause I guess, I guess I'm a seeker. And, um, and then I also, you know, tried to fill that hole that was there, you know, that can't be filled through other things like, uh, drugs and alcohol or achievements or whatever there is in a life that has to offer, you know, that you think is going to finally, or a relationship that you think is finally going to fill that hole for you. And, you know, and, uh, wound up in rehab and, uh, in the 1990 and I had read the Bible already, I think, you know, twice by that time I was in my forties, but I read that. I read the Bible again. And especially this time, I read the new Testament and it was the red words of Jesus that really brought me back. It was really what it was about was a personal relationship with God, with Jesus Christ in particular. And that is the thing that started to really nurture inside me that relationship and has grown and, you know, spurted growth spurts and stumbles and falls of it. You know, it's, it's always there and it's, that is my rock.

Yeah. I was thinking, uh, you know, when you look at other religions, I studied in Japan for some of my college time and, you know, I had the similar experience of looking at other things, Buddhism, Shintoism, but, you know, I think it was Josh McDowell or one of those leading evangelists back here in the U S who always said, you know, the difference with Christianity is Christianity is the only religion where God is reaching us. All the others are built on works, us trying to reach him, praying so many times a day, you know, doing good works, which are, you know, meditating for how many years until you become enlightened or whatever. And I do believe in meditation.

I think, you know, I think when Christ Jesus talked about prayer, prayer and meditation, you know, meditating on God, which is all great. But as far as like just calling out his name and he's here right now in this moment. Well, it's just like the God way to do it. You know, you don't have to build it to me.

I will make a way for you. It's just, if you're going to believe in a God, wouldn't that be the God you'd want to believe in God that prepared the way for you that made you sacrifice all of just as I am. Right. Just as I am. Right.

Yeah. That's kind of what led me to the Lord in my 20s, too. I mean, I made a commitment to Christ at 15, but then wobbled, as I like to say, until I really made that harder commitment at about 22 and realized, OK, this has to be more serious. And I was certainly lacking that, you know, for yourself. Oftentimes for me, it was a football coach that got me pointed in the right direction. When you look back on your own life, are there two or three people that really made that difference for you? Oh, yeah, for sure.

Who were they and what were they? Yeah, well, my mother, who was my rock. That's good.

Oh, my life. Yeah, she was always there. I mean, even when nobody else was or I felt like I didn't deserve it. You know, that's she was really that. And, you know, in my early years, my dad, I really had a great relationship with my dad. You know, it was a complicated relationship, but, you know, very much like Reagan, in a sense, his dad was alcoholic.

But at the same time, the life of the party or whatever, and very kind of outgoing. He was he was a really good man, my dad. But there was a teacher in college, an acting teacher who really had a big effect in my life as far as. This is where I was going to go, and he really made acting seem interesting. You know, it was like psychology about what makes people tick.

Right. And Billy Graham had it had a huge effect on my life still. I mean, still does, really. He was like the real deal. And, you know. He was I almost felt like he was like my my father in a sense, you know, my spiritual father here on Earth just growing up. You know, I never met him or anything.

And but he was just an amazing person. Let's you know, again, the movie's coming out this weekend. You can find where to see that. It's going to be a great show. I do notice the guitars, everybody that's visually watching this.

Ask him about the guitars, Jim. But you've also done a number of albums and you're musically gifted, which is funny. It's like the right side of your brain is working, huh? Well, right or left side.

Yeah, one handles the business. The other one's like dreaming. But anyway, talk about your music. Well, I had a gospel record last year that came out and called Fallen. I call it Fallen. A gospel record for sinners because I wanted the biggest audience possible. I think we all qualify for that.

Yeah. And it's a half of it is songs that I grew up with in the Baptist church that I love so much. And then the other half are songs that I wrote before and during the making of the record. And then it all adds up basically to my spiritual journey.

I think now that's really cool. You know, looking at Christianity and Hollywood, I know Mark Burnett, Roma Downey and a handful of other people that do such a good job representing the Lord as they're working professionally and kind of top of their game and doing the right things. But that's got to be kind of a difficult environment. You've moved out of California now, but describe for us just that world living in that world, that bubble and trying to be a person of faith. You know, we all have probably ideas of what that looks like. But is it difficult or is it OK if you're living to who you are and being true?

You generally get a hearing. You know, I think Hollywood gets that, but I think there's really quite a lot of people of faith out here. Maybe they may not speak publicly about it, you know, maybe, you know, because they feel like, oh, we're going to get. Yeah, I've heard that there are a lot of Christians. There are some very vibrant churches out here. I was when I first got here, Jess Moody. I don't know if you're familiar with Jess Moody, but he was in Florida and he was quite an amazing preacher, Baptist preacher at First Baptist Church of Van Nuys over there. And then Greg Laurie actually today. I mean, he's doing great things.

I was just at his crusaded Angel Stadium. Oh, yeah. Forty five, forty five thousand people. They filled the place to the rafters. Yeah. And they had they had six thousand people.

That's what one in every eight people came down. He's like the modern version of Billy Graham, I think. He's the guy that stepped into the role. He's got such a great demeanor, such a great delivery.

It's inviting. He's authentic. You're attracted to what he's having to say. And yeah, he really has filled that that role, I think. He's authentic. And he says it for another generation coming. You know, it's like the same thing. And it's well, it's authentic.

It's he doesn't try to manufacture. You know, it's a funny story. Mark Burnett was telling me when he was doing the Bible along with Roma Downey, but they were doing those features, A.D. and the Bible.

And they did really well. I think it was on History Channel, but he was talking to the executives at the different production houses, mostly Jewish leadership. And he said as he was pitching it, they were saying, yeah, just do the Old Testament. We'll cover the cost of doing the Old Testament. He goes, well, that's not really the whole Bible. And he said they would say, well, OK, throw in the New Testament, but leave out the Jesus parts. And I thought that is such a funny story. And he he took it in stride and he was able to do it the way he needed to do it, which represented the true scriptures, both Old and New Testament. But I thought it was so funny. Yeah, do the Bible without the Jesus parts. Without the Jesus parts.

Yeah, that's OK. It's just it's a great illumination into how people think. Yeah, that's the that's the thinking out here in a way, you know. And Hollywood still hasn't gotten it yet. To tell you the truth, I think they had it back in the 50s. Remember like Charlton Heston and they used to have many movies, Zeffirelli. And then there was a lot of movies about Jesus.

So you've been heard there was, you know, all kinds of the Ten Commandments. But Hollywood just they felt like they were too cool for school or something, I guess. But a faith movie saying, you know, when they started out, they were very basic. It took them a while. But then they all came to the shack and then I got involved that I can only imagine.

And of course, Soul Surfer, which is a faith aspirational film, I think. And they never know. They have these predictors, these trackers, you know, about what the box office is going to do. And and I can only imagine, you know, and they're usually really right.

Spooky. But they said, I can only imagine. Oh, it's maybe make two million dollars for the weekend.

We made 17 million dollars for the weekend opening. And they scratch their heads and they now they have these advisors in the agencies, in the studios that are their faith people that are going to have to look for material or whatever. But they really still don't get it. Well, I think, you know, the the wonder of our faith is that I think we can remain calm. You know, I've been telling my wife and I have been doing this devotion. We're just talking about the fact that, you know, it says in the word that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.

So I believe that will be true. Now, it's a matter of how do we persuade others to look at Jesus and his claims and try to help people see the light literally. And we don't need to have anger or negative energy toward people.

We need to love them and show them and talk with them what it is we believe. And I do think if we did that successfully, the country would have a hunger for more of the good stuff that you've done here with the Reagan movie and the other movies. I think the country does have a hunger for that stuff. There's a lot more of it now than there was even three years ago. Yeah, that's, you know, and I said this when Covid came along and in a sense that I feel that there is a spiritual awakening going on in this country right now. That, you know, spiritual awakenings don't actually feel that that warm and fussy. You know, that's that's what they're all about. You know, it's like a spiritual revolution, but it's happening.

And I think it's a wonderful thing that people are really starting to wake up because they've been out there. They tried like me. They've tried. They've tried a lot of the stuff that doesn't work.

Well, that's the whole point. Filling that hole that you talked about, whether it's drug abuse, alcoholism, relationships. I mean, that's what's so tough when you talk to people to say this will fill that void. And, you know, we have it. It feels like then as we haven't progressed far from the garden. We're still saying, no, we know best. We know the knowledge of life.

We will pursue it. And then in the end, God just lets you run to the end of that road. And then you look off that cliff and go, OK, maybe I wasn't right.

Yeah, God doesn't want you to eat that because you'll be immortal like him. Yeah. So that's what we're all looking for. But it's like, you know, nations are like people, you know, you have to find out for yourself. You go out there and that's why we have free will.

And you try things, but hopefully you come back to that, which actually works without a doubt, you know, that personal relationship. The I'm an old football playing guy, but the movie I cried in two or three points, but probably the tears that fell the hardest were at the end of the movie where Reagan's diagnosis with Alzheimer's came into full bloom and him riding the horse with the Secret Service at the very end. You know, Reagan asking, can we just have one more ride? I mean, I was like choked up as could be. And it was moving. And of course, then the the real footage of his funeral. I mean, there are things in there.

Yeah. I mean, just her at the casket kind of stroking the casket, saying goodbyes. That is, you know, those are meaningful moments in life that define what's important. It's why we fight the way we fight here to focus on the family, because in the end, as you know, that's what's going to matter the most. Who's around your death.

But who is it to stand there at your funeral and say this was a good man. And man, that's where I choked up. I was like, yes, that's what to live for.

Yeah. At the end, you know, I won't be on my deathbed going, gosh, I wish I'd done that movie or that if, you know, it's anything. It was it would be about I wished I'd attended, you know, with my family, my kids, my mom and my dad. I wish I could have said this.

I wish, you know, I try. I really tried to remember that in raising my kids and also try to remember that in being a son. That, you know, our time out here is precious. And we need to enjoy our life. We need to enjoy each other. It's so good. I mean, that's what it's about.

And we try to convince people every day of that. What do you think? Looking back, all the great movies you've done, what do you want your legacy to be? Oh, I really. You know, I hope that my kids say I was a good dad. That would be, you know, that that would be a great legacy.

And to be a really good husband to my wife, who I just adore with everything in my life and God is in our relationship. And that's one of the big reasons for its strength. But just that. It's the simple things that it comes down to, because I like to say to people when you start thinking about, you know, doing big deals, being an actor or movie stars at this, I say, who here knows who Tyrone Power was? And they got blown a blank stairs.

I said he was the Tom Cruise of the late 40s. And, you know, who remembers what? Except that which is eternal. That sounds like Ecclesiastes or Proverbs, right? These things are fleeting.

They're going to pass. But, you know, that's what we build into our kids, hopefully, this idea of character, meaning. About what's important. Yeah, about what is important in this life. Well, Dennis, this has been great. I so appreciate it.

God bless you and your quest, both, you know, just personally with your family and your career and what God has left for you to do. And also for this movie, the Reagan movie again, which opens this weekend, people can look for it locally. It's going to be on, I'm sure, hundreds, if not thousands of screens. So go out and see it. Yeah, it's going to be thousands for what I hear.

Over 3,000 theaters. And, you know, message to the baby boomers, man. We were the ones that really created the movie business. I need you to get out there again. It's a great message. Leave the charge and take your kids.

Yeah, kids will need to see it. I'm going to take my boys for sure. Thank you again for that, Dennis. God bless you. Thank you, Jim. I had a really great time talking with you. Thanks for having me. Likewise. Take care. God bless.

Actor Dennis Quaid on today's episode of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. And it was really great of him to take time to speak with you, Jim. And you've really, I think, motivated me to see the film. That's great.

I mean, that's the idea. It is a good film. I've already seen it and it will be worth your time and a few dollars. The thing I love about it, we as Christians particularly, we should enjoy films that accentuate faith and talk about integrity and goodness and kindness and all the good things in this life. And this film really captures so much of that. Obviously, it's in the context of policy and all that, but there's so many more transcendent things that are going on in the film. So take the family. I think it'll be really enjoyable.

And it comes out this Friday and we've got a link to the trailer for the Reagan movie in the show notes. You know, John, I don't want this to pass without giving an invitation to people. Dennis talked about his faith and how he kind of stumbled along. I could relate to that when I was 15. You know, I wasn't fully mature and I still did things I shouldn't do, just like Paul writes about. But I want to make sure if you do not know the Lord that you contact us and get a hold of us. We've got a great PDF file we could send, a booklet, an e-booklet that can explain what it means to become a Christian.

It's called Coming Home. And I don't want this moment to pass that if you're sitting there going, wow, Dennis Quaid became a Christian. Maybe I should think about that. Do it.

Get a hold of us. It'll be the most important decision you ever make in your life. And it's one we believe as Christians will give you eternal life.

So don't let that pass. If the Lord is nudging you, call us. Our number is 800, the letter A in the word family, and you can download that free Coming Home booklet in the show notes.

Well, thanks for listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. I'm John Fuller inviting you back next time as we once again help you and your family thrive in Christ. God wants true disciples, ones that think like him, talk like him, walk like him, disciples that bring shalom to the chaos of this world. Pursue that path with the RVL Discipleship series. Bible scholar Ray Vanderlaan will give you the tools to understand the Bible more deeply and inspire you to be a passionate follower of Christ. Watch the first episode at RVL Discipleship.com
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-08-27 02:23:15 / 2024-08-27 02:35:55 / 13

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