Jeremy Allen White says his preparation for Bruce Springsteen involved watching a lot of YouTube videos, with a little advice from the real rock star.
White to Play Springsteen in 20th Century and Disney Film Free me from nothingnessNews of the film's production circulated earlier this spring and The bear The star is now deep into preparations for the legendary role.
“I'm really fortunate that there's now some kind of team of people who can help young actors play rock stars,” White said. GQ“I have a really talented group of people helping me train vocally and musically to be ready for this thing.”
In recent years, Austin Butler has played Elvis in ElvisRami Malek played Freddie Mercury in Bohemian RhapsodyNaomi Ackie played Whitney Houston in Whitney Houston: I Want to Dance with Someone and Kingsley Ben-Adir played Bob Marley in Bob Marley: A LoveStill coming soon, Timothee Chalamet will play Bob Dylan in A complete stranger and Jafaar Jackson will play his uncle, Michael Jackson, in Michael. White now joins the group in Free me from nothingness.
The actor said that Springsteen in real life is “really supportive of the project,” meaning that “I've gotten to know him and he's just a great guy.”
Beyond that, there are a lot of other ways to research. “There’s so much footage,” White said. “It’s really cool to go down a rabbit hole on YouTube and find him in all these different periods of his life and be able to hear his speaking voice and his singing voice. That was kind of the thing, just listening to him a lot and watching him a lot. It was really fun to prepare.”
Free me from nothingness explores the making of Springsteen's 1982 album Nebraska, which followed the singer-songwriter's great success The river album. The album has the blue-collar feel of many Springsteen albums, but it’s also full of dark, hopeless themes, accompanied by few instruments. Scott Cooper will direct the film, and said in April that the album “had a profound impact on me and my work.”
“Through themes of despair, disillusionment and the struggles of everyday Americans, Bruce has created an unparalleled legacy, painting a relentless portrait of the human condition,” Cooper said. “Yet amidst the darkness, a sense of resilience and a sense of hope shine through, reflecting an indomitable spirit. That is the Bruce I have come to know and love, and I will honor him with this film.”
The film does not yet have a release date.