Bruce Springsteen Reveals His Battle With Depression While Creating Nebraska, Now Shown in New Biopic

Bruce Springsteen’s deeply personal story is hitting the big screen this week with the wide theatrical release of Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, arriving in theaters Friday, October 24. To promote the film, the Boss joined director Scott Cooper and members of the cast for a sit-down interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, offering rare insight into one of the most challenging periods of his life.

A Portrait of Pain and Healing

As previously reported, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere explores the emotional and creative journey behind Springsteen’s stark 1982 masterpiece Nebraska. The film delves into the artist’s intense period of clinical depression during the album’s creation—an era Springsteen now reflects on with hard-earned perspective.

When Stephanopoulos asked what it felt like to watch a movie about “the most painful moments” of his life, Springsteen responded thoughtfully.

“Well, they tend to be the most interesting moments of your life at the end of the day,” he said. “When you’re making your way through some sort of crucible, hopefully to come out the other side with some knowledge gained, some greater sense of self, and a story to tell.”

The interviewer also noted that director Cooper described the movie as a story about “a neglected soul repairing himself through music.” Springsteen agreed, saying:

“Music was the first way that I really medicated my anxieties and my depression.”

When pressed on whether he believed he would “emerge whole” during his darkest moments, the musician admitted he hadn’t been so sure.

“No,” he said. “In the middle of it, there’s a lot of confusion, chaos… unsureness. I think that I was very surprised when I had my initial… breakdown, anxiety attacks. I’d been quite successful up to that point in using my ‘musical meds’ to keep myself steady. So it was very shocking to run into a point where suddenly those things stopped working.”

Jeremy Allen White Steps Into the Boss’s Shoes

The film stars Jeremy Allen White, the Emmy-winning actor best known for The Bear, as Springsteen. When asked about taking on the role, White admitted he initially hesitated.

“They’re such big shoes to fill,” he said. “I just, I wasn’t sure. I don’t play guitar, I don’t sing. I said, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to find a guy who can kind of do some of these things?’”

Despite those doubts, Springsteen said White was always his top—and only—choice.

“There was something about the way Jeremy carried himself,” Springsteen explained. “And he was the first guy that I thought of. There was a common physicality in the way we moved, I thought. And I’d seen The Bear and I knew that Jeremy was capable of really delving into the inner psychology of his characters. I knew that was gonna be the essential element for the picture. I never had a thought for anybody else, you know?”

Springsteen added that he was “really excited” when he heard White was interested in the part.

Behind the Interview and Where to Watch

Segments of Stephanopoulos’ conversation with Springsteen, Cooper, and the cast were featured on ABC’s Good Morning America earlier this week. A full special dedicated to Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is set to stream on ABC News Live tonight (October 21) at 8 p.m. ET.

With its mix of emotional honesty and musical legacy, the film promises to offer fans an intimate look at one of the most pivotal—and painful—chapters in the Boss’s storied career.