Legendary actor Dennis Quaid says America can learn a lot from Ronald Reagan's friendship with politicians from across the aisle, including the Gipper's close relationship with then-Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, a member of the opposite party. Quaid portrays the former president in the upcoming biopic Reagan (PG-13), which chronicles the journey of the 40th president from his days as a Hollywood actor to his two terms in office and his battle with Alzheimer's.
Reagan hits theaters Aug. 30.
The film depicts Reagan as a man of deep Christian faith who considered his political enemies his after-hours friends. In one poignant scene, O'Neill, a Democrat, visits Reagan, a Republican, in the hospital shortly after the president survived an assassination attempt. O'Neill tells Reagan he has been praying for him.
"His nemesis, basically, was the first to visit him in the hospital," Quaid told Crosswalk Headlines. "They joked with each other. O'Neill said, 'You'll do anything to get the tax cut through.' They did pray together there. They had a relationship that after 6 o'clock, they were just two Irishmen having a beer. You know, throw out the political party stuff. 'Let's have a dialogue.' And that's what they had.
"They may have disagreed, you know, 30 percent of the time, but that didn't make them a 30 percent enemy. It made them a 70 percent friend."
America's polarized political culture, Quaid said, could take a few lessons from the friendship of Reagan and O'Neill.
"What's missing today is that dialogue, that give and take," Quaid said. "... We have to get back to that place. People don't even know how to begin now, it seems we've gotten so entrenched. But we have to start somewhere."
Quaid bemoaned the fact that "we pass each other in the streets all the time," "we come into each other's businesses," and "we're all friendly until there's a label that you notice with it, and then things go awry."
"We're all Americans, and we need to really learn how to start embracing each other for our strengths and what we do have, rather than our differences."
WATCH: REAGAN Movie Official Trailer (2024) - In Theaters August 30
Related Media: Impacting Culture: The New Release of Reagan & a Look Behind the Scenes at Dennis Quaid’s Personal Faith & Everyday Life
From 1981 through 1989, Ronald Reagan led a great American comeback. He not only achieved what his critics said would be impossible; he made it seem easy. His leadership transformed a sputtering U.S. economy into a rocket of growth that led to a generation of prosperity. Through it all, he revived America’s spirit, restored our hopes, and strengthened our faith.
Joining us today on The Built Different Podcast is the lead actor in Regan, Dennis Quaid! Dennis said playing Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest honors of his life as he was inspired by the many parallels between each of their lives. I pray this conversation would encourage you as you hear a behind the scenes look into the professional and personal life of one of the world’s favorite actors. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Built Different Podcast on Apple, Spotify or YouTube so you never miss an episode!
Photo Credit: © Rawhide Pictures
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.