ABC(NEW YORK) — He’s famous for playing the dry “man’s man” Ron Swanson in Parks and Rec, but now Nick Offerman is shows a softer side, as a single dad who tried to bond with his daughter through music, in the new movie Hearts Beat Loud.
Appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America, Offerman explained the premise of the film. “She’s getting ready to go away to college,” Offerman says of his on-screen daughter, played by Kiersey Clemons. But when the music they’ve recorded together unexpectedly becomes popular, she’s forced to make a decision about her future.
“The conflict is: our band is doing well, but is she going to be responsible and do the right thing?” Offerman said.
The actor, who already knew how to play the guitar, told ABC Radio that his role as a musician in Hearts Beat Loud required him to learn a new skill.
“I have a certain competence on the acoustic guitar, but I had never played electric,” he explains. “And so, you know, it just took some hard work. But that’s the fun thing about acting…with some hard work and elbow grease, you can do something like play a kick-a** rock song on camera.”
As father and daughter gel musically in the film, Clemons and Offerman are seen on-screen jamming together, which both of them enjoyed.
“It is really interesting to feel the energy of something like that as you’re filming it,” Clemons tells ABC Radio. “Like knowing, ‘Oh, this is going to really turn out awesome!'”
Offerman agreed, “There was the confidence knowing the magic of Hollywood…it sort of ends up looking like a really kick-a** superhero origin story.”
He laughs, “When you see us making that first song you’re like, ‘Oh, OK: Holy cow! They really have been edited to look like they’re talented!'”
Hearts Beat Loud is now in theaters.
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