EXCLUSIVE: Ronald Reagan Shooter Speaks To ‘Reagan’ Producer Ahead Of Director’s Cut Release

John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, is offering new insight into the factors that drove him to carry out the attack, pointing to his own estrangement from his family.

In an interview with filmmaker and producer Mark Joseph obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire, Hinckley once again said the 1976 Martin Scorsese film “Taxi Driver” had a profound influence on him as he spiraled into the delusions that ultimately led him to shoot Reagan. “’Taxi Driver’ influenced me very much,” Hinckley said when asked how responsible he believed the movie was for his actions. “I wouldn’t use the term ‘hold them responsible,’ but yeah, ‘Taxi Driver’ influenced me greatly.”

But he also said his isolation from his family was a contributing factor, and offered a word of caution to young people struggling with loneliness.

“Do not get estranged from your family,” Hinckley said. “Keep the family ties, because that’s what happened to me: I got estranged from my family, and that led to isolation and depression and delusions.”

“So do everything you can to keep your family ties,” he continued. “And, you know, if you have some faith, try to have a faith in God. With me, that’s what saw me through.” The comments come as Hinckley has received renewed attention following his first major interviews in decades. In another portion of the interview, he discussed his obsession with Jodie Foster and said he once believed the actress would ultimately join him after the assassination attempt.

The attack wounded Reagan, White House Press Secretary James Brady, Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy. Reagan survived after suffering a punctured lung and internal bleeding. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and spent more than three decades in psychiatric care before being released from court supervision in 2022.

Joseph produced the 2024 film “Reagan,” starring Dennis Quaid as the 40th president. A director’s cut of the film is scheduled to return to theaters in September as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.