"Reagan" Returns: Dennis Quaid on Faith, Perseverance & the Man Behind the Presidency

The life of Ronald Reagan proves that setbacks are just the setup for what comes next. Now, the film "Reagan" is returning for a limited run on September 25 as a Director's Cut with 10 minutes of never-before-seen footage, timed to America's 250th anniversary. Dennis Quaid stars as the 40th President in this movie that traces Reagan's path from a small Illinois town, through a Hollywood career that stalled out before it ever really took off, and finally into the White House. Nine-time Emmy winner David Sams sat down with Quaid at the Reagan Ranch itself — the Western White House from 1981 to 1989 — for a conversation that goes well beyond the usual press-junket beats. In this encore episode, Quaid opens up about the nearly two years he spent preparing for the role, tracking down archival footage to nail Reagan's voice and mannerisms across four decades of his life. He talks candidly about his own four marriages and how that shaped his appreciation for the deep partnership between Ronald and Nancy Reagan, calls the film's closing scenes — built around Reagan's real 1994 Alzheimer's diagnosis letter to the American people — an act of real courage, and explains why he sees the movie less as a political statement than a story about faith, failure, and second chances. This episode first aired August 2024. Watch and get tickets at reagan.movie.