Robert Davi didn’t just bring Leonid Brezhnev to life in “Reagan,” this year’s eagerly awaited biopic of the 40th U.S. president. The veteran actor brought volumes of research to both the role and the set.
Davi, beloved for work in classics like “Die Hard,” “The Goonies,” and “Licence to Kill,” spent time in Russia speaking to citizens about the late Soviet Union leader.
In a business that routinely punishes conservative stars, the film’s producers bucked groupthink, casting not only Davi but talented actors such as Nick Searcy, Pat Boone, and Kevin Sorbo.
He dug deep into Brezhnev’s complicated legacy, learning of his bond with President Richard Nixon and affinity for fast cars.
Command performance
For Davi, “Reagan” deserved nothing less than his full commitment. It explains why he has endured as an actor whose career stretches back to 1977’s “Contract on Cherry Street” with Frank Sinatra.
“Reagan,” now available via digital on demand, finds Davi and co-stars fleshing out “The Gipper’s” remarkable life and political career. Some viewers, familiar with iconic Reagan moments like his “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” speech, may not know how Reagan battled communism behind the scenes in Hollywood.
For Davi, the biggest takeaway may be how little has changed in America since the Reagan Revolution.
Back to the future
He said pop culture and the press loathed Reagan, much as they do President Donald Trump. In fact, the moment Trump descended the Trump Tower escalator to announce his candidacy, the actor connected the mogul’s populist message to that of vintage Reagan.
Davi also notes that both Reagan and Trump were badly underestimated by their opponents — until it was too late.
The actor wishes the film could have included even more of Reagan’s life and legacy. Notably, he would have loved to see Nancy Reagan (Penelope Ann Miller in the film) reacting to new President George H.W. Bush’s vow to build a “kinder, gentler nation” — a not-so-subtle dig at his former boss of eight years.
An ‘eye-opening’ biopic
Still, the movie packs plenty into the running time, including how Reagan reached across the aisle to get legislation done. His scenes with Congressmen Tip O’Neill (Dan Lauria) epitomize that attitude. It also explains the dawn of the Reagan Democrat.
That, and so much more featured in the film, will prove “eye-opening” to younger viewers, Davi predicted.
“The new generation needs to watch that to understand the difference between the extreme left and the conservative movement,” he said.
Davi’s “Reagan” contributions didn’t end with his Brezhnev performance. The versatile star also sings two tracks on the film: “This Town” and “Nancy (with the Laughing Face).” He studied music extensively earlier in his career and, in recent years, has brought the Sinatra catalog to vibrant life via “Davi Sings Sinatra.”
He also directed the charming 2007 film “The Dukes” along with the 2022 biopic “My Son Hunter,” which cast Laurence Fox as the embattled first son. The film stands in sharp contrast to how Hollywood either ignored or lionized Hunter Biden throughout his various scandals.
Davi’s conservative bona fides are no Hollywood secret. He continues to work, although often in independent features like this year’s “Bardejov.” That film recalled the true-life heroism of Rafuel Lowy, who saved hundreds of Jewish lives during the Holocaust.
Hollywood rebels
It’s no accident that Davi is not the only openly right-of-center actor in the “Reagan” cast. In a business that routinely punishes conservative stars, the film’s producers bucked groupthink, casting not only Davi but talented actors such as Nick Searcy, Pat Boone, and Kevin Sorbo.
Sorbo has said his unofficial Hollywood blacklisting began roughly a decade ago when his agent left him over his conservative beliefs. Oscar nominee James Woods hasn’t had a sizeable film role since his supporting turn in 2014’s “Jamesy Boy.”
Davi confirms the new blacklist is “worse than it was during the McCarthy era,” adding that communists did infiltrate the Hollywood community during the 1950s.
For his part, Davi won’t be cowed. He contributes thoughtful op-eds to Breitbart News and keeps creating art on his terms. He promises a new album to drop in 2025 in addition to a European tour. He’s close to starting work on a new film called “The Ministry” about a group tied to vigilante justice.
The ultimate irony? Hollywood continues to make movies about the blacklist era while stars are penalized for their political beliefs in 2024, he said. George Clooney will bring his “Goodnight, and Good Luck” film, recalling journalist Edward R. Murrow’s scraps with Sen. Joseph McCarthy, to Broadway starting in March.
“They want DEI except for thought. … People wanna talk about the ‘fascists’ in the MAGA movement,” Davi said with a laugh. “The fascists in the liberal left will denigrate you, dispel you.”
