Dennis Quaid wants to see "more of a dialogue" in US politics.

The 70-year-old actor has take on the leading role of former US President Ronald Reagan - who was in the White House during the 1980s - and as the country gears up to elect either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris for the position later this year, explained that these days he would like to see politicians exhibiting principles that "go beyond" their party.

He told US TV show Extra: "We all lived through it, not everyone who will see this movie has. I think everybody wishes we were back with Ronald Regan now, even the Democrats. Half the Democrats voted for Reagan in the second election.

"For 40 years, he was a Democrat, longer than he was a Republican, actually. He had principles, he governed by principles, and lived his life by principles that go beyond political party. I'd like to see a little bit more of that today, and I'd also like to see a little bit more of a dialogue that parties had with one another back then, which is missing today. People actually talked to each other. I hope we get there."

But the 'Parent Trap' star insisted that his new movie is not just about politics and that it also focuses on his relationship with his wife Nancy Reagan (Penelope Ann Miller) throughout his decade in charge.

He added: "It's really important. It's a really important movie to see; the movie is not political. It's a biopic about their life. It's about us. It's also about us and where we were as a nation. It's about the Cold War, which Reagan, along with Margaret Thatcher, won."