Special Preview Screening: The Brink of War, with Stars Jeff Daniels and Jared Harris

Be among the first to experience The Brink of War, starring Jeff Daniels as President Ronald Reagan and Jared Harris as Mikhail Gorbachev. Set against one of the defining moments of the Cold War, The Brink of War chronicles the high-stakes 1986 Reykjavík Summit, where the U.S. President and the Soviet leader faced decisions that could have reshaped the future of the world. As nuclear tensions reached a critical point, extraordinary diplomacy brought two global superpowers to the negotiating table—and ultimately helped move the world away from the brink of nuclear war.

Drawing on the Paley Archive's unparalleled collection of historic television and radio broadcasts documenting the Cold War, the evening will begin with a CBS News report from the Paley Archive that aired during the Reykjavík Summit, capturing the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations and the potential consequences for the future of the world.

Following the screening, join stars Jeff Daniels and Jared Harris along with director Michael Russell Gunn and presidential historian Timothy Naftali for an exclusive conversation about portraying these iconic historical figures, the exploration of diplomacy at a pivotal moment in world history, and the experience of filming in Iceland, where the historic summit took place forty years ago.

Guests are invited to return to The Paley Museum and visit the Paley Archive on the 4th floor to explore additional news coverage and archival materials from the Cold War era, offering deeper context for the events depicted in the film and an opportunity to experience firsthand how television documented this pivotal period in history.

This event is made possible by generous support from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.