Nick Offerman, the actor known for his role as Ron Swanson on the popular sitcom “Parks & Recreation,” recently addressed his approach to working with his co-star Dennis Quaid, a known Trump supporter, on their new film “Sovereign.” The film, which revolves around an anti-government extremist and his son, culminates in a police standoff, reflects the tension between political ideologies and the broader societal issues at play.
In a recent Reddit response, Offerman expressed his philosophy on collaborating with Trump supporters like Quaid during the production of the film. He emphasized that his focus is on the professional relationship and the quality of their work rather than engaging in political debates. “Dennis Quaid is a fantastic actor whom I’ve looked up to my whole life, and he’s better in this film than almost anything I’ve seen him in,” Offerman said, highlighting his admiration for Quaid’s talents regardless of their political affiliations.
Offerman acknowledged the political differences between himself and Quaid but chose to leave them aside for the sake of the project. “We didn’t have a lot of time together on set, so the context wasn’t really conducive to digging into settling the world’s problems, or even just those of America,” he explained, suggesting that the film’s production offered limited opportunity for political discourse.
While working on the film, Offerman also shared his views on the broader political landscape. He stated that those who supported Trump are not inherently bad people, even though he disagrees with their policies. “Dealing with Trump supporters in the world is something I try to handle with nuance, because I know many others around the states who are very good people and citizens and would give you the shirt of their back,” he said.
Offerman’s comments reflect his belief that the political divide is often exacerbated by misinformation and a lack of rational discourse. He criticized the Republican party’s policies, suggesting they trend toward fascism, and contrasted them with Democratic values, such as healthcare access and the pursuit of happiness. “I think we’re all wrong about a lot of things, but the reason I lean left is because at the end of the Republican plan is austerity and literal fascism, sad military muscle parades and mounted troops in the LA, the coolest city in the world, and all the rest of the current bed-s—tings, and at the end of the Democrat plan is health care and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everybody,” he said.
Despite his liberal leanings, Offerman remains committed to working with Quaid and others to create a compelling film. “No matter who we voted for, it requires all of us (including an overwhelming number of immigrants) to make the great bounty this country produces, and is then so disproportionately pocketed by the ultra-wealthy, so I am not going to pick an argument with Dennis Quaid over our political leanings because I’m going to shake his hand and try to make a great film,” he said, underscoring his dedication to collaboration and creative integrity over ideological conflicts.