Bruce Springsteen, the heartland rock legend, isn't one to bare it all on screen -- at least not when it comes to his health.
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In a lively chat on Variety's Awards Circuit Podcast, the 75-year-old "Born to Run" icon dished on why his peptic ulcer disease didn't make the cut for Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The Thom Zimny-directed documentary, which tracks his 2023-2025 world tour, skips the gritty details of his six-month hiatus from September 2023 to March 2024.
"My peptic ulcer? Not exactly Oscar-worthy," Springsteen quipped, brushing off the idea of including it.
The Boss admitted the break was a mixed bag. "I secretly enjoyed the downtime, but letting down the fans? That stings," he said. The ulcer, plus vocal issues that forced him to reschedule four shows in May and June 2024, tested his usually unbreakable spirit.
"I'm pretty ironclad, so this was a curveball," he added with a chuckle. Still, he kept that chapter out of the film, focusing instead on the music and the road.
From Camera-Shy to Spotlight Lover
Springsteen's relationship with the camera hasn't always been cozy.
"I used to think filming was like a magician revealing his tricks -- don't mess with the magic," he told Variety. Back in the day, he shunned the lens, but now? He's all in. "We've got footage from when I was a young gun, and it's gold. Now, I say film everything -- tours, albums, you name it."
That shift has given fans a treasure trove of E Street Band moments, and Springsteen is loving every second of it.
Springsteen Talks Biopic
The Grammy winner also got fans buzzing about Deliver Me from Nowhere, a biopic slated for later this year. Starring The Bear's Jeremy Allen White as a young Springsteen, the film zooms in on 1981-1982, when Nebraska was born amid personal struggles.
"They pitched it, and I thought, 'Sounds like a blast,'" Springsteen said. Directed by Scott Cooper, the movie -- based on Warren Zanes' book -- boasts a stellar cast, including Jeremy Strong as Springsteen's manager and Stephen Graham as his father.
Springsteen, who popped onto the set between tour dates, called the experience surreal.
"Seeing my grandmother's house recreated? It's like stepping back into my childhood," he said. He's got high praise for White, too.
"Jeremy's not doing an imitation -- he's making it his own," he added. "Plus, the guy can sing!"
