Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong wow in new 'Springsteen' movie footage

USA Today

13 hours ago

NEW YORK — The King of New Jersey is taking his Hollywood throne.
Emmy winners Jeremy Allen White ('The Bear') and Jeremy Strong ('Succession') star in the highly anticipated Bruce Springsteen biopic 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere' (in theaters Oct. 24), which debuted its first trailer last month.
On July 29, Disney shared more new footage from the film with a small group of journalists, as the Mouse House touted a slew of upcoming movies from its slate including 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' (Dec. 19) and 'Tron: Ares' (Oct. 10).
The 'Springsteen' clips were introduced in a prerecorded message by writer/director Scott Cooper, who shared his desire to focus on a specific chapter of the rock icon's career: the creation of his riskier, more downbeat 1982 album 'Nebraska.'
'It was never about telling the whole story of Bruce Springsteen,' said Cooper, adding he wanted to avoid 'a traditional biopic' in favor of something darker and more introspective.
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In one clip, Bruce (White) sits at a Manhattan diner with manager Jon Landau (Strong), looking disheveled and withdrawn as he says that it's hard to come back home after touring.
'The quiet can get a little loud,' Strong's character tells him. 'Coming off the road has never been easy for you. You just need to give it some time. It'll pass.'
The two men walk out of the diner and down the block, where a passerby shouts, 'Love you, Bruce!'
'You see that?' Landau says, smiling. 'I'll tell you, hit singles aren't so bad.'
The next clip is a flashback to Bruce's childhood, in which his dad (Stephen Graham) points to a large house and says that 'all your problems will disappear' if you have money. The scene cuts to an adult Bruce strumming on his guitar, with White doing an uncanny Springsteen impression as he warbles 'Mansion on a Hill.'
Although the actor only bears a passing resemblance to Springsteen, his spot-on vocals and soulful essence may be enough to land him in Oscar contention this coming awards season.
Jamie Lee Curtis, James L. Brooks joke about being in a 'throuple'
Throughout the roughly hourlong presentation, Disney screened rough footage from the animated 'Zootopia 2' (Nov. 26) and the just-released trailer for 'Predator: Badlands' (Nov. 7) with Elle Fanning.
James L. Brooks, the film and TV legend behind 'The Simpsons' and 'Broadcast News,' was also on hand with Jamie Lee Curtis to share a handful of new clips from their feel-good family drama 'Ella McCay' (Dec. 12), about a rising legal star (Emma Mackey) juggling personal and professional responsibilities. The star-studded film features Woody Harrelson, Ayo Edebiri, Kumail Nanjiani, and Jack Lowden, and marks Brooks' first movie in 15 years.
'Here's the amazing truth about Jamie Lee,' Brooks told reporters as he introduced the footage. 'She's everything you could ever want her to be.'
Curtis, who plays Ella's aunt Helen, said it was a 'life-changing experience' to work with Brooks.
'At first I was terrified, but now I'm massively in love with him,' Curtis quipped. 'His wife, Mrs. Brooks, and I have come to an understanding. The word 'throuple' has been (thrown around)!'
Brooks said Curtis was his only choice to play Helen, which the Oscar-winning actress handwaved away.
'I can take it! I've been a replacement part many times,' Curtis said. 'I was a replacement part in 'Knives Out,' I was a replacement part in 'Freaky Friday,'' whose sequel arrives in theaters Aug. 8. 'You know what? Life hinges on a couple seconds you never see coming.'