Key Highlights
- Jeremy Allen White discusses his preparation for playing Bruce Springsteen in the upcoming biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.”
- The actor shares insights into his process of immersing himself in the character, including learning guitar and vocal lessons.
- White reflects on his time spent with Bruce Springsteen during the film’s production, highlighting the musician’s accessibility and authenticity.
- The interview delves into White’s experiences filming concert scenes and the challenges of capturing a legendary performer’s essence on screen.
Jeremy Allen White’s Journey to Play Bruce Springsteen
Actor Jeremy Allen White, best known for his role as Carmen Berzatto in the Netflix series The Bear, is taking on a new challenge. In Scott Cooper’s upcoming biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” he portrays the iconic singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. The film, set during Springsteen’s Nebraska era, will feature a significant focus on his performances and personal life.
White embarked on an intensive preparation process to embody Springsteen.
He picked up guitar lessons and vocal training to accurately portray the musician’s distinctive voice and stage presence. For White, this role is not just about acting but also about living the character’s life, including the pressures and responsibilities that come with it.
From New York to Puerto Rico: Life on Set
Austin Butler, who starred alongside White in “Enemy,” reminisced about their whirlwind press tour after finishing filming. The duo’s journey took them from New York to Puerto Rico, where they experienced a cultural immersion that was both exhilarating and exhausting.
White shared his experience at Bad Bunny’s concert in Puerto Rico: “It was so impactful to see what he meant to all of them.” This moment highlighted the profound connection between performers and their audience, a sentiment that resonates deeply with White as he prepares for his role. He emphasized, “I’ve been out there.
Addison did a show out there for years. It was shot in San Juan, but then we’d go to Vieques and Culebra, which are these little islands.” These experiences provided White with a unique perspective on the life of Springsteen, who has spent considerable time in Puerto Rico.
Challenges of Portraying a Legendary Performer
The process of capturing Bruce Springsteen’s essence on screen presented numerous challenges. White explained that he had to navigate between reality and fiction, as his performances were informed by public interviews and footage but also needed to account for the private moments in Springsteen’s life.
White elaborated, “This was a period in his life when he was alone, so you also have to think, ‘What does that feel like for Bruce?’ It was this incredibly isolated and intimate time where he had very few angels. And then for there to be a film crew and a young actor and a director and all these people showing him these private moments, that’s got to be heavy.”
Despite the pressures, White found support in Springsteen himself. “He was always available if I wanted to come to him with something, but if he wanted to come to me with something, he’d always go through Scott. I think he knew that if I was doing a scene and he came up to tell me something—not necessarily a criticism, but any form of direction—that it might shatter me in some way.”
Lessons from the Set: Reflections on Playing Real People
White’s journey into the character of Bruce Springsteen offers valuable insights for actors tackling real-life roles. He emphasized the importance of delusion, or romanticism, in acting, stating, “I think delusion is an appropriate word for acting in general. It’s about how well you can trick yourself, and not in a method-y way.” This process involves immersing oneself in the character’s environment and situation, even if it means embracing uncertainty.
White’s dedication to the role was evident from his preparation: “Every morning I woke up, I was off to the races. There were no lazy mornings.” His commitment paid off as he prepared for the concert scenes, which required a precise vocal performance that mimicked Springsteen’s unique voice during his Nebraska era.
Reflecting on the experience, White concluded with a profound statement: “There was a transference of energy going on where he was like, ‘This is just a taste of what it feels like to perform onstage for 90,000 people, and for all of them to know every word.’ He found me that time and two other times throughout the night to try and give me a taste of what it’s like to be up there and why these guys can’t quit it.” These moments underscored not only Springsteen’s enduring spirit but also White’s deep respect and understanding for his subject.
