President Biden seeks SOTU ‘advice’ from actors who famously played presidents

Ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address, he sought out advice from a few people who have experience making big presidential speeches.

Well, sort of.

In a cheeky video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Mr. Biden hosted a video call with Morgan Freeman, Geena Davis, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Douglas and Bill Pullman. All actors have played presidents on the big and small screen and had to make pivotal fictional addresses to the nation.

“I’ve never spoken to so many presidents all at one time,” Biden joked. “Some of you might know what a big speech like I have to do is coming up, the State of the Union. Any advice you have for me in my delivering of my speech?”

Freeman, who played President Tom Beck in “Deep Impact,” went first with his tips.

“All I had to deal with was a meteor,” he quipped. “One of the things that I came out of that within my speech to people – hope. Hope is the strongest force we have in this country. It is the most useful and the most effective.”

“My advice (is) just keep telling us how you’re working for us and building hope.”

Tony Goldwyn, who famously played President Fitzgerald Grant III in the ABC series “Scandal,” didn’t feel he was one to talk.

“I behaved very badly in a lot of situations,” he admitted.

He then offered this famous quote from the drama.

“Tell them that you exist for them. Tell them that they make you a better man,” he said as he tried to hold back his laughter.

He also revealed that after a major speech, he liked to wind down with a glass of red wine and some popcorn, a nod to the show’s lead character, Olivia Pope.

“But I know for you that would be ice cream,” Goldwyn joked.

“Commander in Chief” actress Geena Davis joked that every week as president she had a “new crisis” she had to face.

“You did a hell of a job,” Biden commended her.

“I do feel I should just point out one thing, it always bears remembering,” the actress pointed out. “There’s no crying in politics.”

“The American President” actor Michael Douglas, who played President Andrew Shepherd in the film, touted having a “loving partner changes everything.”

“Love and compassion as a leader are strengths, they’re not weaknesses and are key to your character,” he explained.

He then reminded the 46th President that he must always remember to save a dance for the First Lady of the United States in the East Room.

Bill Pullman, who addressed the nation during the alien attack in the Will Smith classic “Independence Day,” joked that it was nice to “watch somebody else have to have it all together” rather than himself.

“I had it easy,” he confessed. “We just had invaders from outer space coming in wanting to mess with us and that tends to unify people.”

While he didn’t think it was the “greatest speech ever,” he did note two important things:

“We can’t be consumed by our petty differences and we will be united in our common interests. And somehow those words became something to remember.”

He then pointed out how Biden’s speech is more than just words.

“When people look at all that you’ve managed to do, they’re going to remember, time will remember, always the importance of your words when you say that thing about, ‘There’s nothing that we can’t do when we do it together.'”

Biden’s State of the Union address takes place Thursday at 6 p.m. PST.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.