Jeremy Allen White is sharing the unforgettable story of his first meeting with Bruce Springsteen.
The actor recalled his encounter that deeply shaped his preparation for portraying the music legend in the upcoming biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, hitting theaters this Friday, October 24.
In a recent conversation with Austin Butler for Interview magazine, White, 34, revealed that he first met Springsteen during a soundcheck at Wembley Stadium in Paris, the summer before filming began.
“There’s maybe a dozen people hanging around, but I’m able to have this very isolated moment where I’m watching them do soundcheck,” he said.
“Bruce sees me. He’s up onstage and I’m down below and we shake hands. And so our first meeting was onstage at Wembley, talking for about 20 minutes.”
The two discussed everything from life to work—White spoke about his relationships, while Springsteen reflected on his grandchildren. Later that evening, as the stadium filled with nearly 90,000 fans, Springsteen locked eyes with White just before the show began.
“I’m sitting with [friends] Ayo [Edebiri] and Molly [Gordon]... and Bruce is looking over. I’m like, ‘Who’s he looking for?’ And then he locks eyes with me and he plays to me for 30 seconds.”
According to White, Springsteen found him two more times during the concert to share that electric connection. “There was a transference of energy going on... like, ‘This is just a taste of what it feels like to perform for 90,000 people.’”
The two were recently seen together at the BFI London Film Festival premiere of the highly anticipated film.
