Ronald Reagan Biopic Casts Disney Star as Lead (Exclusive)

This story first appeared in the Jan. 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

A former Disney star will appear as a future U.S. president. Wizards of Waverly Place‘s David Henrie (ICM, Untitled, Jackoway Tyerman) will play Ronald Reagan as a young man in a new biopic. Reagan is told from the point of view of a KGB officer keeping tabs on Reagan since his days as an actor, SAG president and staunch anti-communist.

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The $25 million indie film, adapted by Space Cowboys‘ Howard Klausner from two biographies by Paul Kengor, is executive produced by Ralph Winter (X-Men, Fantastic Four) and produced by Mark Joseph (Tolkien & Lewis). No director or other castmembers have been set yet. Henrie tells THR, “It’s a universal film with universal values and principles.”

Email: Paul.Bond@THR.com