Jeff Daniels felt weight of history as Reagan in ‘The Brink of War’

Jeff Daniels felt the weight of history while preparing to play Ronald Reagan in "The Brink of War," a film chronicling the pivotal 1986 Reykjavík Summit. The actor occupied the very chair where Reagan sat during the Cold War meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Iceland's Höfði house, the film's primary filming location.

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Jeff’s here, he’s in the chair.

Daniels described a palpable "presence" in the historic room, comparing the feeling to visiting sacred sites like Gettysburg's Little Round Top. He spent months preparing, cycling through Reykjavík with Reagan's speech tapes, meticulously studying the former U.S. president's cadence and mannerisms. Writer-director Michael Russell Gunn emphasized a nuanced portrayal, aiming to "suggest Reagan" rather than create a caricature.

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There was a presence.

Filming took place over 18 days in fall 2024. Daniels memorized his dialogue to achieve a "100th performance" level of naturalness. He collaborated closely with Gunn, who visited him at home to discuss the foundational approach to the character. "The Brink of War" also features Jared Harris as Gorbachev. The film opens in theaters on Friday.

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You go into a church, there’s a presence. When I did ‘Gettysburg,’ I went to Little Round Top on a Sunday morning, you can feel it. And that was the same thing in this house, that is the pride and joy, I think, of the city of Reykjavík, not to mention the country of Iceland. They’re very proud of what happened there on that weekend in October 1986.