Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's: Daughter Writes Will Ferrell Taking Offense At Comedic Film Portrayal Of Late President's Disease

Ronald Reagan's bout with Alzheimer's is no secret. Now, after Will Ferrell made known his plans of portraying Ronald Reagan at the time that the late president was battling with the disease in the film "Reagan," Reagan's daughter, Patti Davis, penned an open letter to the actor.

Will Ferrell Experiencing Backlash

According to The Blaze, 63-year-old Patti Davis was not amused at the prospect of Will Ferrell playing Ronald Reagan during the latter's bout with Alzheimer's disease. The film, which Will Ferrell also produced, will depict the life of the late president during his second term.

That was the time when he started falling into dementia. Worse, the movie introduces the character of an ambitious intern who got the job of convincing the president that he was "an actor playing the president in a movie."

While Will Ferrell's film intends to make light of Ronald Reagan's Alzheimer's disease, the same did not go well with many, especially with Ronald Reagan's children. Michael Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan, tweeted, "What an [outrage] .... Alzheimers is not joke... It kills..You should be ashamed all of you."

Patti Davis Pens A Letter To Will Ferrell

"I saw the news bulletin - as did everyone - that you intend to portray my father in the throes of Alzheimer's for a comedy that you are also producing," Patti Davis began in the letter to Will Ferrell. She continued expressing her disdain against Will Ferrell's movie.

"Perhaps you have managed to retain some ignorance about Alzheimer's and other versions of dementia," Patti Davis wrote. "Perhaps if you knew more, you would not find the subject humorous."

According to Yahoo, Patti Davis said that she watched how fear invaded her father's eyes. Patti further shared that her father was not afraid of anything but his voice trembled when he stood in the living room and exclaimed, "I don't know where I am."

Will Ferrell's Film In Bad Taste

Davis said that Ronald Reagan battled the dreaded Alzheimer's disease for 10 long years. Ronald Reagan drifted "past the memories that marked his life, past all that was familiar." The pain that the planned "Reagan" film of Will Ferrell can be felt in the words that Davis uttered in her letter to the actor.

Davis also mentioned that at the time that Ronald Reagan was suffering from Alzheimer's, there was laughter but never humor. That must be also why she does not consider Will Ferrell's "Reagan" film to be anywhere close to being humorous, as Ronald Reagan's Alzheimers moments may not be viewed as one.

Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1994. Although this was the time when his actual diagnosis was made, there were already reports which circulated that Ronald Reagan showed signs of Alzheimer's during his presidency.

Ronald Reagan died in 2004, 10 years after his Alzheimer's diagnosis. Based on CDC, about 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's.

With this controversy, would you still be willing to watch Will Ferrell's "Reagan" film? Sound off in the comments below!