It has been 20 years for the reason that dying of beloved “Superman” star Christopher Reeve, and now, a brand new documentary is revealing particulars in regards to the actor’s life earlier than and after his paralyzing accident.
In 1995, Reeve fell from a horse at an equestrian competitors, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. 9 years later, he handed away at age 52 in 2004 after struggling a coronary heart assault following an an infection.
“With 2024 being the 20-year anniversary of our father’s death, that felt like the right time to reintroduce him and his heroic story to the world,” his youngest son, Will Reeve, advised Deadline.
Will credited the staff behind the documentary titled “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” together with administrators Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, including, “Everything came together in a way that we knew as a family we could be open and honest and vulnerable and hand everything over to them and see what they came back with. And that trust has been rewarded in a way that we’re just so thrilled about and can’t wait for the world to experience as well.”
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Christopher Reeve’s kids, Matthew, Alexandra and Will, had been closely concerned within the new documentary about his life, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.” (Getty Photographs)
“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” premiered at Sundance over the weekend and is looking for distribution.
All three of Reeve’s kids, Matthew and Alexandra with Gae Exton, and Will with spouse Dana Reeve, participated within the documentary, which shares unimaginable new particulars and behind-the-scenes footage from Reeve’s life.
“One of the joys is that they uncovered so much archival footage. So, there’s the outtakes from the original audition for ‘Superman,’ interviews with dad from the ’70s and ’80s when we were still young kids,” Alexandra advised The Wrap.
She added, “Seeing him at the height of fame and even old home movies we hadn’t spent much time with – suddenly we’re uncovering these moments and seeing them on the big screen. All of that woven together has been really beautiful and powerful.”
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Reeve’s kids are trying ahead to sharing extra of their father with folks by means of the documentary. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Photographs)
One of many extra shocking revelations from the documentary is how Reeve’s relationship with his children modified following his accident.
In keeping with Selection, within the documentary, Matthew recollects that his father left to ski in France the day after he was born and infrequently confirmed love by means of competitors together with his children, like taking them snowboarding then racing forward of them.
“Our love language was activity before,” Alexandra advised Selection. “Suddenly, you’re spending time just hanging out in dad’s office looking each other in the eye and talking for two hours.”
In keeping with The Guardian, Reeve acknowledged the modifications, saying, “I needed to break my neck to learn some of this stuff.”
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Reeve is proven together with his former accomplice, Gae Exton, and Alexandra and Matthew in 1984. Reeve’s kids revealed that their relationship with their father modified for the higher following his accident. (Parker/Every day Categorical/Hulton Archive/Getty Photographs)
The movie additionally touches on Reeve’s personal troublesome relationship together with his father.
“It was difficult to breathe easy when he was around,” Reeve stated of his father, per The Guardian.
The outlet additionally famous Reeve’s kids recall an unverified household story of Reeve’s father ordering champagne when his son earned the position of Superman, mistakenly considering he had gained an element within the George Bernard Shaw play “Man and Superman.” After he realized the mix-up, Reeve’s father reportedly didn’t approve.
Reeve himself struggled with being identified for “Superman” and the idea of being a hero.
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Reeve’s relationship together with his most iconic position was difficult. (Silver Display Assortment/Getty Photographs)
Previous to taking the position, he had targeting theater, which Alexandra stated within the documentary was a refuge after a childhood “so f–ked up” by his mother and father’ divorce at age 3, per The Guardian.
Jeff Daniels, who labored with Reeve onstage, recalled that fellow co-star William Damage suggested in opposition to taking the superhero position, saying, “Don’t go, you’re going to sell out.”
The expertise of filming the film with the enduring Marlon Brando wasn’t precisely what Reeve had hoped for, with The Guardian noting that he described Brando as “phoning it in” and that he “took the $2 million and ran.”
Alexandra stated, “For Dad, Superman needed to be art.”
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Reeve reportedly wasn’t excited to be within the “Superman” sequels. (Keystone/Getty Photographs)
In keeping with The Guardian’s reporting, Reeve wasn’t thrilled to be within the sequels and known as Superman IV “a catastrophe from start to finish.”
“I am not a hero, never have been, never will be,” he reportedly stated.
Will defined to Selection that although he’s greatest identified for the title position in “Superman,” it’s a smaller position within the Oscar-nominated “Remains of the Day,” co-starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, of which he was the proudest.
“He was so proud of his role in that movie. It’s not a big role. It’s an important role in the film,” he advised the outlet. “He got to show a completely different side of himself. I knew how proud he was of that. Not that he wasn’t proud of ‘Superman’ … but if he were here, he wouldn’t choose ‘Superman,’ he’d choose ‘Remains of the Day.’ I don’t think about the ‘Superman’ films as much as I do about the swings he got took beyond this larger-than-life role.”
Reeve’s son, Will, advised Selection his father was most happy with his work within the Oscar-nominated “Remains of the Day” alongside Anthony Hopkins. (Mikki Ansin/Getty Photographs)
The documentary additionally delves into his journey into advocacy following his accident.
When he was first hospitalized, Reeve, in accordance with The Guardian, was “unable to avoid thinking the darkest thoughts” and advised his spouse Dana, “Maybe we should let me go.”
He finally labored by means of these troublesome moments, however each day remained a wrestle.
“We’d all wake up every morning and think anything could happen. But he would wake up and then remember all over again that he couldn’t move,” Will advised Selection.
Reeve struggled with darkish ideas within the speedy aftermath of his accident. (Michael Stephens/PA Photographs/PA Photographs through Getty Photographs)
Reeve went by means of rehab with help from celebrities like Robert De Niro, Katherine Hepburn and Paul McCartney, in accordance with The Guardian. The outlet additionally reported that in her interview within the movie, Glenn Shut recalled “he was so terrified that he could die at any moment.”
His well-known friendship with Robin Williams is featured prominently within the documentary. The 2 met and had been roommates at Juilliard as younger males and stayed shut buddies all their lives.
Per The Guardian, Shut stated within the documentary, “I’ve always thought if Chris was still around, then Robin would still be alive.”
As he adjusted to his new life, Reeve turned closely concerned in incapacity advocacy and fundraising for analysis for spinal twine accidents.
Robin Williams and Reeve had been buddies for years, going again to their pre-fame days at Juilliard. (Richard Corkery/NY Every day Information Archive through Getty Photographs)
“Things came easily to him early in his life,” one of many movie’s administrators Ian Bonhote advised Selection. “Then, as Christopher said, ‘The one minority anyone can become part of in an instant, is disability.’ I think that there was a genuine opening to the world around him on a different level. It would be facile to say, ‘Oh, this is a triumph over adversity story,’ but it is turning adversity into opportunity.”
“I think he was very conscious of that irony and the legacy of ‘Superman’ when people viewed his story and thought about him after the accident,” Alexandra advised the outlet. “He talked about redefining what it is to be a hero… it’s an everyday person who survives despite overwhelming obstacles.”
Reeve’s wife Dana, who died shortly after him from most cancers in 2006, additionally will get her due within the documentary.
Reeve’s spouse, Dana, was by his aspect till his dying and sadly misplaced her personal battle with most cancers in 2006. (Theo Wargo/WireImage)
“What I’m just beyond touched by and so proud of is the way that the filmmakers tell my mom’s story, the way that my mom, Dana, features in this documentary because she featured so heavily as you might expect in our lives,” their son, Will, advised The Wrap.
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He continued, “As much of an honor as it is to be the son of Christopher Reeve, I’m also the son of Dana Reeve. Anytime I can tell her story and share with the world what a singular force she was makes me so proud.”
Will and his siblings are on the board of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Basis, a company “dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis,” in accordance with its web site.
