Hank Williams’s Daughter Discusses ‘The Last Ride,’ A New Film About Her Iconic Father’s Life

By Wendy Geller | Our Country – Fri, Jul 6, 2012 12:10 PM EDT

A man hires a young local kid from Montgomery, Alabama to drive him to Charleston. The kid has no idea who this man is, just knows he's got to get him to his destination, or he won't get paid.

Sounds like a simplistic story? Well, it is. But it is, of course, the tale of the last three days of Hank Williams's life--a story that ended up with a legend passing in the back seat of that car. It's also the subject of focus for a new film about Williams, The Last Ride, which examines the relationship between Williams and the teenager who shared his final 72 hours; as well as the journey the singer managed to achieve in near anonymity before his death."The Last Ride"

There are many highlights to the film--from an exceptional score to an evocative and subtly handled script--but probably the brightest is the portrayal of Williams by actor Henry Thomas. If Thomas looks familiar, it's no accident--he played the unforgettable childhood role of Elliott in E.T. 30 years ago. Now 40, he manages to channel 29-year-old Hank Williams's "old soul" with remarkable agility.

I had the opportunity to talk to Williams's own daughter, Jett Williams, about her take on the latest examination of her iconic father's life. Jett, who with her husband handles her dad's estate, was originally not on board with the project. "The movie went to production, and the folks that were doing the movie were under the impression that the estate had been notified and was on board. That wasn't the case," she explained. "It wasn't until later that they realized that."

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