The heartbreaking true story about Bruce Springsteen's suicidal thoughts in new biopic Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY October 24, 2025 at 1:48 AM 38 Spoiler alert! We're discussing plot details from the new biopic "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere." Beware if you haven't seen it yet. ASBURY PARK, N.J.
- - The heartbreaking true story about Bruce Springsteen's suicidal thoughts in new biopic
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY October 24, 2025 at 1:48 AM
38
Spoiler alert! We're discussing plot details from the new biopic "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere." Beware if you haven't seen it yet.
ASBURY PARK, N.J. − You've never seen this side of Bruce Springsteen before.
In the new biopic "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" (in theaters Oct. 24), writer and director Scott Cooper explores an especially fraught period for the rollicking, raspy-voiced rocker (played by Jeremy Allen White). The film charts Springsteen's creative big swing with his 1982 album "Nebraska," which helped the singer work through family trauma and mental health issues as he became disillusioned with fame.
Music journalist Warren Zanes dove into the brooding album at length in his 2023 book "Deliver Me From Nowhere," although Springsteen also shared personal stories with Cooper that helped inform the movie.
We break down what's fact and what's fiction in the Oscar hopeful:
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Did Bruce Springsteen actually hit his dad with a baseball bat?
The temperamental Douglas (Stephen Graham, left) tears up while watching a movie with his son, Bruce (Matthew Anthony Pellicano Jr.).
The movie features multiple black-and-white flashbacks to Springsteen's childhood, when his volatile father, Douglas (Stephen Graham), was physically violent with his mother, Adele (Gaby Hoffmann). In one frightening scene, Springsteen steps in and hits his dad with a baseball bat in an effort to protect his mom.
"His mother felt somewhat helpless in this situation," Cooper says. "Bruce said, 'I just had to pick up the bat and I swung as hard as I could. I had no idea what the result was going to be – I thought it was going to be a beating.' " But his dad wasn't mad that he hit him: "I think his father had a bit of begrudging respect for him at that moment."
The Bruce Springsteen Archives: Take a deeper dive at Asbury Park Press
Is that emotional scene where Springsteen sits on his father's lap inspired by a true story?Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" and more celebrities, beginning with Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen, walking the red carpet for the film's headline gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on Oct. 15, 2025, in London.The film traces the creation of the musician's 1982 "Nebraska" album.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>See the stars of "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" and more celebrities, beginning with Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen, walking the red carpet for the film's headline gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on Oct. 15, 2025, in London.The film traces the creation of the musician's 1982 "Nebraska" album.
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See the stars of "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" and more celebrities, beginning with Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen, walking the red carpet for the film's headline gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on Oct. 15, 2025, in London.The film traces the creation of the musician's 1982 "Nebraska" album.
">See the stars of "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" and more celebrities, beginning with Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen, walking the red carpet for the film's headline gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on Oct. 15, 2025, in London.The film traces the creation of the musician's 1982 "Nebraska" album.
" src=https://ift.tt/vEGaqYC class=caas-img>Jeremy Strong Strong portrays Springsteen's manager Jon Landau.
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Jeremy Strong Strong portrays Springsteen's manager Jon Landau.
">Jeremy Strong Strong portrays Springsteen's manager Jon Landau.
" src=https://ift.tt/icbpUdJ class=caas-img>Springsteen gave his gratitude to Graham "for being the living embodiment of my late father, who had a very difficult life but was a good-hearted man," Springsteen said.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>Stephen Graham, who portrays Springsteen's father, and his wife, actress Hannah Walters. Springsteen gave his gratitude to Graham "for being the living embodiment of my late father, who had a very difficult life but was a good-hearted man," Springsteen said.
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Stephen Graham, who portrays Springsteen's father, and his wife, actress Hannah Walters. Springsteen gave his gratitude to Graham "for being the living embodiment of my late father, who had a very difficult life but was a good-hearted man," Springsteen said.
">Stephen Graham, who portrays Springsteen's father, and his wife, actress Hannah Walters. Springsteen gave his gratitude to Graham "for being the living embodiment of my late father, who had a very difficult life but was a good-hearted man," Springsteen said.
" src=https://ift.tt/saNC0tJ class=caas-img>Jeremy Allen White, Bruce Springsteen and Stephen Graham.
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Jeremy Allen White, Bruce Springsteen and Stephen Graham.
">Jeremy Allen White, Bruce Springsteen and Stephen Graham.
" src=https://ift.tt/DMQnEtA class=caas-img>Jeremy Allen White, who plays Springsteen
" data-src=https://ift.tt/WZJUARy class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Jeremy Allen White, who plays Springsteen
">Jeremy Allen White, who plays Springsteen
" src=https://ift.tt/WZJUARy class=caas-img>Odessa Young portrays Springsteen's love interest Faye Romano.
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Odessa Young portrays Springsteen's love interest Faye Romano.
">Odessa Young portrays Springsteen's love interest Faye Romano.
" src=https://ift.tt/PdjBVKA class=caas-img>Another view of Young's dress
" data-src=https://ift.tt/EFhs5wR class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Another view of Young's dress
">Another view of Young's dress
" src=https://ift.tt/EFhs5wR class=caas-img>Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen onstage
" data-src=https://ift.tt/ctpqEmZ class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen onstage
">Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen onstage
" src=https://ift.tt/ctpqEmZ class=caas-img>Anthony Russo and Ann Russo
" data-src=https://ift.tt/AkMluj5 class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Anthony Russo and Ann Russo
">Anthony Russo and Ann Russo
" src=https://ift.tt/AkMluj5 class=caas-img>Tanya Burr
" data-src=https://ift.tt/gotJsYT class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Tanya Burr
">Tanya Burr
" src=https://ift.tt/gotJsYT class=caas-img>Thomas Meacock
" data-src=https://ift.tt/DMSq2Vh class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Thomas Meacock
">Thomas Meacock
" src=https://ift.tt/DMSq2Vh class=caas-img>Bob Geldof
" data-src=https://ift.tt/tXshOlb class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Bob Geldof
">Bob Geldof
" src=https://ift.tt/tXshOlb class=caas-img>Jeremy Allen White
" data-src=https://ift.tt/HOFKCZo class=caas-img data-headline="See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet" data-caption="
Jeremy Allen White
">Jeremy Allen White
" src=https://ift.tt/HOFKCZo class=caas-img>
1 / 13See Jeremy Allen White and more celebrities on the Bruce Springsteen biopic red carpet
See the stars of "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" and more celebrities, beginning with Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen, walking the red carpet for the film's headline gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on Oct. 15, 2025, in London.The film traces the creation of the musician's 1982 "Nebraska" album.
At the end of the movie, Springsteen reconnects with his now-apologetic father backstage at a concert. His dad asks him to sit on his lap, and the two men tearfully make amends.
"It really happened just like that," Cooper says. Springsteen's father was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and growing up, "he was very cold and dispassionate to Bruce because he was suffering. Bruce was always yearning for that connection."
But one night after a show, "his father says, 'Come here. I want you to sit on my lap.' Bruce says, 'Dad, I've just finished playing, I'm soaking wet and I'm 32 years old.' " Despite his reluctance, Springsteen did take a seat on his dad's knee, which was a "a bit awkward" yet "touching. That's one of the most tender scenes I've ever shot."
Did Bruce Springsteen really fall in love with a woman named Faye?
Faye (Odessa Young) comes to see Bruce Springsteen every time he plays at The Stone Pony.
Back home in Asbury Park, Springsteen falls for a superfan named Faye (Odessa Young), who is a young mother and diner waitress. Faye is both highly supportive yet frustrated by the distant Springsteen, who showers her with love before disappearing into his music. The fictional character is a composite of women that he dated at the time.
"Bruce said to me, 'Look, the truth about yourself isn't pretty,' " Cooper recalls. " 'Because I couldn't connect with myself, I had a very difficult time connecting with a partner. Just as I was falling in love with someone, inexplicably I would stop.' In today's parlance, it's ghosting."
Although things didn't work out with those early girlfriends, Cooper adds, they "allowed Bruce to grow and face the things that he wasn't dealing with to be able to have such a remarkable and loving relationship with his wife, Patti Scialfa."
In real life, did Springsteen try to crash his car?
Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) confronts childhood trauma and depression in "Deliver Me From Nowhere."
During one depressive episode, Springsteen somberly speeds down the road in his Camaro before violently hitting the brake. The shocking scene is inspired by a real incident.
"That was an extreme low point for Bruce," Cooper says. "You see a couple of times in the film that Bruce is experiencing suicidal ideation, and that was one of them. You're driving down a country road, going 110 miles an hour, and at any moment, you can turn the car into a tree or whatever it was that Bruce was thinking."
But ultimately, "he said, 'I just couldn't do it,' and he stepped on the brake," Cooper adds. "He was staring into the abyss. Bruce had come to the edge that particular night and thank God he didn't do it."
Was Jon Landau the one who told Springsteen to go to therapy?
Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) is Bruce Springsteen's faithful manager and greatest champion.
Despite channeling his demons into "Nebraska," Springsteen was still feeling desolate and alone. Toward the end of the film, a concerned Landau tells him over the phone that he needs to go to therapy.
"That was another moment when Bruce was experiencing suicidal ideation," Cooper says. After releasing the album, "Bruce decides to move to Los Angeles. But when he arrives, he finds himself in another cold home: no warmth, no connection, no partner. He was at another low and he calls Jon the first night he arrives."
Springsteen told Landau, " 'Jon, the nights are getting longer. They're getting blacker.' And Jon thought that would be the last time he spoke to Bruce," Cooper says. "He says to Bruce, 'I've tried to help you as much as I can, but you need professional help.' The next day he got him into therapy, and he's been there ever since."
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The true story behind Springsteen movie 'Deliver Me From Nowhere'
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