A contentious figure during his time in American politics, movies, and TV shows have rushed to portray Ronald Reagan for years. The former president himself was active in the media, acting in Hollywood films and TV shows for over 30 years. For this reason, the public was surprised when he was initially running for office, as the public figure was considered by many to be much more of an actor than he was a politician. Nonetheless, Reagan went on to serve two terms in office and become a highly prominent conservative political figure.
While Reagan has been portrayed throughout the decades, the most recent portrayal of the former president is in the biopic Reagan. Reagan was released to theaters this past weekend on August 30, and has thus far brought in $9.2 million at the box office. Reagan‘s reviews aren’t good thus far, garnering just an 18% score among the 44 critics who have reviewed it thus far. As Reagan continues on in theaters, it is interesting to look back at the history of the various portrayals of Reagan over time.
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8 Richard Crenna
The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001)
One of the most significant parts of Reagan’s political career was the assassination attempt on his life. This incident occurred on March 30, 1981, when John Hinckley Jr. shot at the president as he was entering a limousine. The assassination attempt left Reagan critically injured, breaking a rib and puncturing a lung. Reagan’s survival from the assassination attempt made him more of a hero in many people’s eyes.
The events leading up to Hinckley’s attempt at the president’s life are chronicled in the made-for-TV movie The Day Reagan Was Shot. The film was directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and produced by Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone. In the feature film, President Reagan is portrayed by Richard Crenna. The Day Reagan Was Shot was one of Crenna’s last roles, as the actor passed away two years later, in 2003. Crenna was also known for his role as Trautman in the First Blood series, as well as parts in films such as Wait Until Dark and Hot Shots! Part Deux.
7 James Brolin
The Reagans (2003)
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After The Day Reagan Was Shot, the early 2000s saw another TV movie portrayal of Reagan’s life with The Reagans in 2003. Unlike its predecessor, The Reagans did not focus on the assassination attempt, but instead honed in on the relationship between Nancy and Ronald Reagan over the course of their marriage and political careers. James Brolin stepped in as Reagan for this version, with Judy Davis playing opposite him as Nancy Reagan.
Prior to his work on The Reagans, Brolin had made a name for himself in the television industry. He won an Emmy in 1970 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama for playing Steven Kiley in the series Marcus Welby, M.D. He is also a two-time winner and six-time Golden Globe nominee, winning twice for Marcus Welby, M.D. In addition to these award-winning roles, Brolin’s other performances include parts in Traffic, Westworld, Capricorn One, and The Amityville Horror.
James Brolin is also the father of famous actor Josh Brolin.
6 Alan Rickman
The Butler (2013)
10 years later, late actor Alan Rickman stepped in to play Reagan in the Lee Daniels’ film The Butler. The Butler follows the story of Cecil Gaines, a White House Butler who worked under eight presidents, of which Reagan was one. Five of these presidents are portrayed in the movie, all by fairly famous actors, including Rickman, who plays Reagan in the film. The other four presidents in the film include John F. Kennedy (James Marsden), Richard Nixon (John Cusack), Dwight D. Eisenhower (Robin Williams), and Lyndon B. Johnson (Liev Schreiber).
Rickman began his acting career back in the late 1970s, appearing in a number of TV miniseries. He made his biggest Hollywood break when he played villain Hans Gruber in the classic 1988 action film Die Hard. He also became well-known for playing Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. Rickman passed away at the age of 69 from pancreatic cancer. His final two roles were in Eye in the Sky and as the voice of Absolem in Alice Through the Looking Glass.
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The Butler is a 2013 Lee Daniels-directed historical drama. The film is inspired by the article “A Butler Well Served by This Election” from The Washington Post. Forest Whitaker stars as Cecil Gaines, a White House butler who sees firsthand the decisions made regarding policies and social events in the 20th Century.
Director Lee Daniels Release Date December 13, 2013 Studio(s) The Weinstein Company Writers Lee Daniels Cast Forest Whitaker , Oprah , James Marsden Runtime 132minutes Expand
5 Tim Matheson
Killing Reagan (2016)
In addition to The Day Reagan Was Shot, the Hinckley assassination attempt was portrayed in 2016’s Killing Reagan. Like the Crenna film, Killing Reagan was also a made-for-TV movie. Taking the place of the late Crenna was actor Tim Matheson. Matheson played the role opposite Cynthia Nixon in the role of Nancy Reagan. Matheson is no stranger to political drama, with his former work including playing fictional Vice President John Hoynes on the hit series The West Wing. Matheson was nominated for two Emmys for this role.
Born in 1947, Matheson began his career as a teenage actor, playing in various shows throughout the 1960s. In addition to his parts on The West Wing and Killing Reagan, Matheson’s roles include parts in Virgin River, National Lampoon’s Animal House, and Virgin River. His recent work also includes guest and supporting roles in TV series such as Quantum Leap, Evil, and This is Us.
4 Dennis Quaid
Reagan (2024)
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The most recent portrayal of the former president is in Reagan, where the character is played by Dennis Quaid. Whereas films like Killing Reagan or The Reagans focus heavily on Reagan’s political career, Reagan takes a more holistic look, charting the path of the former president’s life from his childhood up through his tenure as president. Playing opposite Quaid is Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan. Reagan‘s reception among audiences is disparate from that of its critical reception, for the film has a 98% Popcornmeter.
Like Matheson, Quaid is also experienced in playing politically-based roles. In the 2010 film The Special Relationship, Quaid portrayed Bill Clinton. His performance in this role was praised, as he went on to be nominated for an Emmy for the part. Quaid’s other notable roles include parts in Far From Heaven, The Day After Tomorrow, and Frequency.
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Reagon follows the life of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, from his time as a young boy through his tenure in the Oval Office.
Director Sean McNamara Release Date August 30, 2024 Writers Paul Kengor , Howard Klausner , Jonas McCord Cast Dennis Quaid , David Henrie , Robert Davi , Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa , Mena Suvari , Jon Voight , Penelope Ann Miller , Lesley-Anne Down Runtime 136 Minutes Main Genre Biography Expand
3 Neil Ross
InHumanoids (1986)
The depictions of Ronald Reagan discussed above are so far more conventional portrayals of the former president, documenting his life, career, marriage, and more. An episode of the show InHumanoids titled “The Surma Plan” takes a far different approach. In “The Surma Plan,” Metlar, the lead of The Inhumanoids, is threatened by the Soviets. In the show, it is President Reagan that first suggests that the Inhumanoids contact the Soviets. Voice actor Neil Ross takes on Reagan in InHumanoids.
Ross voice acted in eight episodes of The InHumanoids, mainly playing Herc Armstrong. Born in 1944, the octogenarian has boasted a prolific career in voice acting, with almost 300 credits to his name. His most notable work includes parts in 1986’s Transformers: The Movie and Back to the Future Part II. He is still a working voice actor today, recently contributing his talents to the video game Cat Quest III. His upcoming roles include two video game credits for Rosewater and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
2 Bruce Campbell
Fargo Season 2
Another TV appearance for a Reagan character came in season 2 of Fargo. In two episodes, titled “The Gift of the Magi” and “Loplop,” Reagan visits the titular Fargo during his campaign trail. In said Fargo season 2 episodes, Reagan is played by Bruce Campbell. Campbell also appeared in the original film Fargo as an unnamed TV soap opera star, so his appearance as Reagan in Fargo is thought to retroactively canonize Reagan as Campbell’s former role.
In addition to his guest appearance in Fargo, Campbell is a well-established actor who has been working in the industry for years. He is best known for his involvement in The Evil Dead franchise, which he helped raise money for and executive produced in addition to starring. Campbell is also known for roles in films such as Army of Darkness and Bubba Ho-Tep. His recent parts include a role in My Southern Family Christmas, as well as a voice cameo in Evil Dead Rise.
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Fargo is a Black Comedy Crime Drama television series that is based on the film of the same name, which was originally created by the Coen Brothers. The TV adaptation was developed by Noah Hawley and follows an anthology format for each of its seasons, taking place in a different time period or location within the “Fargo” universe. So far, the series has seen big-name stars like Billy Bob Thornton, Ewan McGregor, Chris Rock, and Kirsten Dunst.
Cast Billy Bob Thornton , Allison Tolman , Martin Freeman , Kirsten Dunst , Patrick Wilson , Jesse Plemons , Ewan McGregor , Carrie Coon , Chris Rock , Jessie Buckley , Jason Schwartzman , Juno Temple , Jon Hamm Release Date April 15, 2014 Seasons 5 Writers Noah Hawley Showrunner Noah Hawley Main Genre Drama Expand
1 Zach Hadel
Smiling Friends
Perhaps the most off-the-wall of all Reagan TV or movie appearances is in the adult animated TV series Smiling Friends. In an episode titled “Frowning Friends,” Mr. Boss meets with a series of financial advisors that include lampoons of Ronald Reagan and Warren Buffett. Reagan’s exact political role in Smiling Friends is unclear, as the series establishes that a character named Shrimpo Jones won the 1980 U.S. Presidential Election. This would have at least precluded Reagan from serving his 1981-1985 presidential term.
Smiling Friends‘ version of Reagan is played by Zach Hadel. Hadel also works behind-the-scenes as a writer and co-creator for Smiling Friends, in addition to providing voices to multiple of the show’s characters. Hadel is also a skilled animator and YouTuber, who has made a number of shorts in addition to co-creating Smiling Friends.
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TV-MAAnimation
In a colorful yet bizarre world, two employees at a small firm dedicated to its making its customers smile discover that their jobs are rarely as simple as they seem.
Cast Michael Cusack , Zach Hadel , Marc M. , Joshua Tomar , Mick Lauer , Erica Lindbeck , David Dore , Lyle Rath Release Date April 1, 2020 Seasons 2 Main Genre Animation Creator(s) Michael Cusack , Zach Hadel