Premiering his second film with writer/director Brett Haley at Sundance 2018, Nick Offerman is back on the promotional circuit this week for the director’s latest, musical drama Hearts Beat Loud. Featuring original songs by Keegan DeWitt, the film centers on a father (Offerman) who bonds with his daughter (Kiersey Clemons) over music just as he is sending her off to college.
“I was a fan of Brett’s film I’ll See You In My Dreams two films ago. I thought it was really beautiful and touching—and simple. [Haley] and his partner Mark Basch, they write these beautiful stories about people dealing with life, and issues, and mortality,” Offerman said, speaking to his initial attraction to Haley’s work. “Then, I was able to work on The Hero with him, with Sam Elliott, and it was just a beautiful experience.”
By the time Hearts Beat Loud rolled around, Offerman told Deadline, he would’ve signed on to the project without seeing anything at all, such was his trust in this director. “One thing I love about him—he does his best to give everybody something to chew on. He doesn’t just write a bus driver to push his plot along,” the actor explained.
With Hearts, there was certainly plenty of interest in the material, the music and the actors involved. In a sense, Offerman saw the project as another welcome opportunity to stretch himself, showing a different side to his capabilities. “People generally pigeonhole me as a superhero type—Clooney, Banderas, Ryan Reynolds and Offerman. The big four, you’ve probably heard that. So it was nice to get broken out of that mold,” he joked in studio today. “But seriously, people do typecast me, so to just play a dad who has feelings and vulnerabilities and foibles…I also love music, so to get to participate in the music that we play in the movie was wonderful. I can find very little to argue against doing this movie.”
To hear more Deadline’s latest conversation with Offerman—as he explains what went into the development of the film’s songs—click above.
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