Walk the Line brings the heart-wrenching story of music legend Johnny Cash to life. When Johnny and June meet, both are married to others—but there is an instant attraction. Johnny begins a dogged pursuit that June resists. After 12 years, June finally marries the singing superstar and their life-long love story is launched. It's June Carter's unconditional devotion that makes Johnny Cash "walk the line."
As accolades start pouring in—critics have described her performance as "transformative" and "brilliant"—Reese admits it was no easy feat to transform herself into June...and she was scared!
"It was awful," Reese says. "First of all, we had to learn how to sing. ... The director came to us and he said, 'I really want you guys to learn to sing, to learn to play instruments, and I want you to record an album. I absolutely was just gobsmacked!"
"Is it true that at one point you begged to get out?" Oprah asks.
"I did," Reese says. "I called my attorney, my agent, my manager. I said, 'I've got to get out of this. Can't they call LeAnn Rimes? She's good! There are plenty of people that do this for a living. I'm just an actress!'"
After voice and instrument lessons—Reese learned to play the autoharp—panic gave way to gradual acceptance. "It's good to have that kind of challenge in your life," Reese says, "It's important to do things that scare you to death!"
