IN "TODAY'S" SPOTLIGHT DENNIS
QUAID.
THE HOLLYWOOD HEARTTHROB SAT
DOWN WITH ME NORTH OF SANTA
BARBARA ON 688 ACRE PROPERTY
KNOWN AS THE REAGAN RANCH.
IT SITS AT THE TOP OF A LONG AND
WINDY ROAD WITH SWEEPING VIEWS
OF THE VALLEY AND CALIFORNIA.
QUAID'S NEXT BIG THING?
HE RECENTLY SIGNED ON TO PLAY
OUR 40th PRESIDENT IN A FILM DUE
OUT NEXT YEAR AND THE HOME IS
STILL FILLED WITH THE REAGAN'S
PERSONAL BELONGINGS EVERYWHERE.
IT WAS HERE THAT DENNIS AND I
TALKED ABOUT THE PARALLEL
BETWEEN THE TWO MEN FROM
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE TO FAITH
AND FAMILY.
WATCH.
>> THERE WAS THIS SHIVER OF FEAR
THAT WENT UP MY SPINE.
THAT'S USUALLY TO ME I SHOULD DO
SOMETHING.
IT'S OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE.
>> NOTHING MUCH.
JUST LUCK.
>> DENNIS QUAID IS NO STRANGER
TO HOLLYWOOD BURSTING ON THE
STAGE IN THE '70s WITH HIS
BOYISH GRIN.
AFTER MORE THAN 60 STARRING
ROLES, IT'S HIS LATEST THAT HAS
HIM NERVOUS.
THAT OF RONALD REAGAN.
>> YOU MUST FEEL PRESSURE.
>> HE WAS MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT
OF MY LIFE.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT
CHANGED MY LIFE AND THE WORLD
FOR THE BETTER.
FOR ONE THING ENDING THE COLD
WAR.
HE PROPERTY BACK COMMON SENSE.
HE STUCK TO HIS GUNS AND
PRINCIPLES.
AVENUES GREAT MAN AND HUMBLE
MAN.
>> CHECK IT OUT.
>> LAST MONTH QUAID WAS TAPPED
TO PLAY THE TITLE ROLE IN THE
STAR-STUDDED BIOPIC "REAGAN"
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT.
>> I VOTED FOR REAGAN FIRST
TIME, BY THE WAY.
I'VE VOTED ON BOTH SIDES.
I'M NOT A REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT,
I'M AN INDEPENDENT.
ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
>> IS THAT ALLOWED IN HOLLYWOOD?
>> PROBABLY.
TO BE AN INDEPENDENT, THAT'S HOW
I GET AWAY WITH IT.
>> DO YOU FEEL THE NEED TO STUDY
HIS MANNERISMS, SPEECH CADENCE.
>> YES.
>> HE HAD SORT OF AN AW SHUCKS
PERSONA.
>> I THINK HE WAS BORN
GENETICALLY WITH A SUNNY
DISPOSITION.
THAT'S THE THING HE AND I HAVE
IN COMMON.
I DO HAVE A SUNNY DISPOSITION
HONESTLY.
>> IS THERE A BIGGER
RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU IN TAKING
ON THIS ROLE GIVEN YOUR
ADMIRATION FOR HIM AND SO MANY
PEOPLE'S?
>> I FEEL A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY
WHENEVER I PLAY SOMEBODY WHO WAS
A REAL PERSON, WHETHER THEY ARE
DEAD OR ALIVE.
I WANT TO GET THEM RIGHT.
I ALSO WANT TO GET OVER ALL THE
ADMIRATION STUFF.
THEY DON'T FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT
THEMSELVES.
>> PRESIDENT REAGAN CAME HERE,
THIS SIMPLE FACE WHERE HE WOULD
BUILD FENCES, RIDE THE HORSES.
>> HE COULD FEEL LIKE HIMSELF, I
THINK.
I THINK THIS WAS HIS DREAM TO
HAVE A PLACE LIKE THIS.
I THINK IT GAVE HIM PEACE, I
THINK, TO BE HERE.
>> SOLITUDE.
>> REAGAN PRODUCER MARK JOSEPH
SAYS HE'S ALWAYS KNOWN QUAID
WOULD BE THE PERFECT FIT FOR THE
ROLE.
>> I BOUGHT HIM A REAGAN COWBOY
HAT REPLICA.
I SAID, DENNIS, TRY THIS ON.
HE PUT IT ON.
HE SAID CALL ME BACK IN A WEEK.
I CALLED HIM BACK IN A WEEK.
I SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
HE SAID, MARK, THE HAT DOESN'T
FIT.
IT'S TOO BIG.
HI HEART JUST SUNK BUT HE SAID,
I THINK I CAN GROW INTO IT.
>> DO YOU EVER THINK, THIS ROLE
COULD MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON?
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> I THINK I'LL LEARN A LOT,
LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
ONE THING ABOUT ACTING AND I
HAVE MORE FIRE IN MY BELLY NOW
THAN IN MY 20s, PROBABLY BECAUSE
I KNOW MORE.
>> RAISED IN TEXAS WITH HIS MOM,
WHO HE CALLS HIS ROCK, HE BECAME
AN ACTOR BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO.
THANKS TO ONE DRAMA TEACHER AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HE
FOUND HIS CALLING.
>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED
IN PSYCHOLOGY, WHAT MAKES PEOPLE
TICK.
THAT'S WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO
ACTING.
>> CIRCUMSTANCES, A 1974.
>> RESEARCHING HIS CHARACTER IS
WHAT HE LOVES MOST ABOUT A NEW
RO
ROLE.
>> MOSTLY ABOUT THE LITTLE
THINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO
HIM.
HIS BOOKCASE I FIND
EXTRAORDINARY.
THE FAMILY ROOM, THEY DIDN'T LET
ANYBODY ELSE IN.
>> THIS WAS THEIR PRIVATE
SANCTUARY.
>> TO PREPARE FOR "REAGAN" HE
PLANS TO SIFT THROUGH 50
ACCOUNTS FROM PEOPLE CLOSEST TO
THE PRESIDENT, INCLUDING HIS
SURGEON, LONGTIME SECRET SERVICE
AGENT AND PREACHER.
>> TO UNDERSTAND REAGAN, YOU
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A BIG
ROLE FAITH PLAYS IN HIS LIFE,
TOO.
CAN YOU RELATE TO THAT?
>> I DO HAVE FAITH.
I GREW UP IN SUNDAY SCHOOL AND
CHURCH, IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING A
BOY SCOUT, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT
REDEMPTION IS.
IT'S ABOUT KNOWING THE WONDERFUL
FEELING OF BEING ALIVE.
>> SO THAT PIECE OF PAPER IF YOU
LOOK BACK -- WE'LL POST THIS ON
TODAY.C
TODAY.COM/MEGYNTODAY
>>> SO A FEW WEEKS AGO I HAD A
CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH DENNIS
QUAID WHO RECENTLY SIGNED ON TO
PLAY RONALD REAGAN IN AN
UPCOMING FILM ABOUT THE 40th
PRESIDENT'S LIFE.
BEFORE THE COMMERCIAL BREAK
DENNIS AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH IN HIS
LIFE.
ONE PLACE HE FINDS FAITH IS
THROUGH MUSIC AND HIS BAND, THE
á
AND GAUGE THEM.
THERE'S A FLOW THAT GOES ON
THERE, A FLOW WITH THE OTHER
INSTRUMENTS.
MUSIC IS ALSO THE LANGUAGE OF
GOD.
IT REALLY IS.
IT'S UNIVERSAL.
AS LONG AS IT'S GOOD, IT WILL
APPEAL TO ANYONE ANYWHERE.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE PLAYING
THE PRESIDENT AND PLAYING WITH
THE SHARKS.
>> IT MIGHT HAPPEN A WEEKEND OR
TWO.
>> BUT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE
MUSIC ALMOST STOPPED FOR QUAID
AND HIS FAITH WAS TESTED.
>> YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY OPEN ABOUT
THE FACT THAT YOU WERE A COCAINE
ADDICT FOR A WHILE.
>> YEAH, RIGHT.
>> HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED YOUR
LIFE?
>> I GREW UP IN THE '60s AND
'70s AND THERE WAS A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT ATTITUDE ABOUT IT BACK
THEN, EVEN IN SOME MOVIE
BUDGETS.
I KEPT ROLLING ON, PRETTY MUCH
DOING COCAINE ON A DAILY BASIS
IN THE EARLY '80s.
I SPENT MANY, MANY A NIGHT
SCREAMING AT GOD TO PLEASE TAKE
THIS AWAY FROM ME.
I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN, BECAUSE
I'VE ONLY GOT AN HOUR BEFORE I
HAVE TO BE AT WORK.
THEN ABOUT 4:00 IN THE
AFTERNOON, THAT'S NOT SO BAD.
I HAD WHAT I CALL A WHITE LIGHT
EXPERIENCE WHERE I SAW MYSELF
EITHER DEAD OR LOSING EVERYTHING
THAT MEANT ANYTHING TO ME.
>> ENGAGED TO MEG RYAN AT THE
TIME, HE SAID HE HAD TO SIT HER
DOWN AND TELL HER EXACTLY WHAT
WAS GOING ON.
THEN HE CHECKED HIMSELF INTO
REHAB.
>> THAT WAS THE END OF THE LOVE
AFFAIR WITH ME WITH COCAINE.
I DIDN'T PLAY MUSIC FOR A WHILE
BECAUSE IT WAS SO CONNECTED TO
MUSIC.
I MEDITATED FOR 10 YEARS,
STRAIG
STRAIGHT.
I READ THE BIBLE, I RED THE
KORAN.
I STARTING DELVING INTO THE
MYSTERY.
THAT IS WHAT ADDICTION IS ABOUT,
IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO FILL UP A
HOLE IN YOUR SELF.
>> AS YOU'RE TALKING, I'M
THINKING ABOUT POSTCARDS FROM
THE EDGE, RIGHT?
THIS IS THE MAIN THEME OF IT.
>> SLEEPING BEAUTY.
>> I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO MUCH
RESEARCH FOR THAT, DID I?
>> DEPPES SAID AFTER GETTING
CLEAN HIS CAREER SUFFERED.
IT WASN'T UNTIL 1998 AND THE
RELEASE OF "THE PARENT TRAP"
THAT THINGS TURNED AROUND FOR
HIM.
>> I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME AT
THAT CAMP BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT
GOING BACK.
I MISSED YOU TOO MUCH.
>> I DID IT.
WHEN I CAME OUT, I WAS THE KING
OF THE CARPOOL LINE.
>> SINCE THEN HE HAD STEADY
ROLES THAT CHALLENGE HIM LIKE
THIS YEAR'S I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
AND HULU FILM THAT FILMS IN THE
NORTH POLE.
>> I'M THINKING IF I WERE DENNIS
QUAID AT THIS POINT IN MY
CAREER, I'D BE LIVING IN SANTA
BARBARA, ENJOYING MY MONEY,
TAKING NICE, EASY ROLES.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE GOING
TO THE NORTH POLE.
>> I LOVE THE WILDERNESS.
I LOVE THAT.
I LOVE THE ADVENTURE PART OF IT.
>> A FORMER MONTANA RANCHER
HIMSELF, QUAID MADE SURE TO SHOW
ME THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS THE
REAGAN RANCH IN CALIFORNIA.
>> HAVE YOU EVER SEEP A BEAR?
>> I SAW ONE GRISLY.
>> AND SO NOW, 60 PLUS YEARS
INTO YOUR PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS,
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> WHAT I FINALLY FOUND OUT IS
THAT HAPPINESS IS A DECISION.
IT REALLY IS.
>>
>>> SO DENNIS QUAID RECENTLY
ANNOUNCED HE WILL BE STARRING AS
RONALD REAGAN IN UPCOMING MOVIE
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S LIFE.
WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THE SPRAWLING REAGAN
RANCH, WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE
PUBLIC, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
WESTERN WHITE HOUSE WHICH IS
WHERE THE REAGANS GOT AWAY TO
ENJOY THE OUTDOORS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE PARALLEL
BETWEEN THE TWO MEN BUT ALSO
MANY DIFFERENCES.
WATCH.
>> LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT WHO
PLAYS NANCY.
>> YEAH.
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE CHEMISTRY
WITH HER.
THAT WAS A TRUE LOVE AFFAIR.
>> THINKING ABOUT THE PARALLEL
BETWEEN YOUR LIFE AND REAGAN'S
LIFE.
YOU'VE BEEN DIVORCED.
HE WAS DIVORCED, TOO.
HE ENDED UP FINDING THE LOVE OF
HIS LIFE IN NANCY REAGAN.
>> THAT TO ME IS THE GREATEST
ACCOMPLISHMENT I THINK HE WOULD
THINK OF HIS LIFE WOULD BE HIS
RELATIONSHIP WITH NANCY.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE MEANT
TO HIM?
>> EVERYTHING.
YEAH, I THINK EVERYTHING.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED
MORE THAN ANYTHING, TO HAVE A
CLOSE INTIMACY WITH ANOTHER
PERSON FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
ISN'T THAT WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS?
>> HAVE YOU FOUND IT?
>> I CAN'T ANSWER THAT YET.
>>> MARRIED AND DIVORCED THREE
TIMES HE IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
LOVE.
CURRENTLY DATING A MODEL SINCE
2016.
>> I LIKE TO BE IN A
RELATIONSHIP.
I KNOW.
IT'S MORE FUN.
>> DO YOU FEEL PRESSURED IN THAT
KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WHEN YOU'RE
OLDER AND SO MUCH YOUNGER.
I WOULD BE AT THE GYM EVERY DAY.
>> I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AT THE GYM
EVERY DAY BECAUSE I'M VAIN.
NO.
SHE AND I, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT
IT.
I'M SURE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
DO, BUT HEY, THEY WILL JUST HAVE
TO GET USED TO IT.
>> I RECENTLY INTERVIEWED GOLDIE
HAWN AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE
PRESSURE OF WOMEN NOT TO AGE IN
HOLLYWOOD.
DO YOU FEEL THAT AT ALL AS A
MALE STAR?
>> AS A MALE, NO.
NOT A QUESTION.
>> YOU'RE ALLOWED TO AGE.
>> OF COURSE YOU ARE.
>> GOOD.
>> YEAH.
THERE'S ALWAYS A ROLE, YOU KNOW,
FOR SOME WRETCHED OLD DUDE.
>> BUT KEEPING QUAID YOUNG ARE
HIS THREE CHILDREN.
>> I TELL MY KIDS, FIND
SOMETHING YOU LOVE TO DO AND
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET PAID FOR
IT.
THEN YOU'VE GOT A THIRD OF YOUR
LIFE SOLVED.
>> QUAIDED 10-YEAR-OLD TWINS
WITH EX-WIFE MADE HEADLINES AS
NEWBORNS AFTER THEY WERE GIVEN
LIFE THREATENING DOSE OF
HEPARIN.
TODAY QUAID SAYS THEY ARE
PERFECT.
>> IT WAS LIKE HAVING A BULLET
GRAZE YOUR EAR.
YOU REALLY FEEL GRATEFUL.
>> AS FOR 24-YEAR-OLD SON JACK
WITH EX-WIFE MEG RYAN, HE'S
FOLLOWING IN HIS PARENTS
FOOTSTEPS.
>> IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS JACK WAS
GOING TO BE AN ACTOR OR
FILMMAKER FROM THE TIME HE WAS
THREE.
MEG AND I BOTH DIDN'T ENCOURAGE
OR DISCOURAGE HIM EITHER WAY BUT
IT WAS A NATURAL THING FOR HIM.
THE ONLY THING WE DIDN'T LET HIM
DO IS BECOME CHILD ACTOR.
HE GOT "HUNGER GAMES" AND
"VINYL" WITH SCORSESE.
HE'S LIKE, HEY, DAD, I'M NOT
AFRAID.
HOW ABOUT HELPING ME OUT.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE OLD MAN.
>> NO PRIDE.
>> YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE DOING
ALL RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> BEFORE I LET HIM GO, I HAD TO
ASK ABOUT SOME OF HIS FAMOUS
FORMER CO-STARS.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A COUPLE
OF FEMALE LEADS.
WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU SAY
MERYL STREEP.
>> JOKESTER, JUST THE MOST
RELAXED PERSON I EVER WORKED
WITH.
>> ANDIE MacDOWELL.
>> ANDIE MacDOWELL, WHAT A
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL SOUL.
>> NATASHA RICHARDSON.
>> QUAID'S CO-STAR IN THE MOVIE
"THE PARENT TRAP" TRAGICALLY
DIED IN 2009 AFTER A SKIING
ACCIDENT.
>> SHE HAD THOSE TWO BOYS AND A
GREAT HUSBAND, GREAT FAMILY
RELATIONSHIP, JUST A JOY TO WORK
WITH.
SHE WAS LIKE A WORKER, YOU KNOW.
NO EGO, NONE OF THAT CRAP THAT
ACTORS PULL.
>> LINDSAY LOHAN.
COMEBACK.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED
PEOPLE I EVER MET.
BUT FOR 11 YEARS OLD WHEN I MET
HER.
WHEN WE WERE DOING THE FILM, SHE
HAD ME BELIEVING THERE WERE TWO
KIDS, THERE WERE TWINS, FOR
REAL.
>> MEG RYAN?
>> MY MOST SUCCESSFUL
RELATIONSHIP IN MY LIFE.
WHEN WE MET, I WAS THE BIG DEAL.
THEN IT WENT LIKE THAT AND SHE
WAS LIKE THIS.
THEN WE'D GO OUT ON THE STREETS
OF NEW YORK AND IT WOULD BE
LIKE, MEG, MEG.
I HAVE TO ADMIT IT, I ACTUALLY
DID FEEL LIKE I DISAPPEARED.
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS THAT SMALL
BUT I WAS.
>> IT WAS A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY.
I LEARNED FROM THAT.
>> ONE OTHER QUESTION WHILE I
HAVE YOU.
THIS IS NOT A LEADING LADY.
BUT DENNIS QUAID.
CAN YOU SUM YOUR SELF UP THE
SAME WAY.
>> THE EASIEST GUY TO WORK WITH
IN HOLLYWOOD.
I AM.
>> YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, CAN'T
YOU?
SO "REAGAN" STARTS SHOOTING THIS
WINTER AND IS EXPECTED TO BE
RELEASED IN 2019.
FOR A BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR OF