Easy Rider is a 1969 American road drama film directed by Dennis Hopper and written by Hopper, Peter Fonda, and Terry Southern. It stars Fonda and Hopper as two bikers, Wyatt and Billy, who embark on a cross-country journey to discover America while dealing with societal tensions of the time. The film is a landmark of counterculture cinema, reflecting the themes of freedom, individuality, and the clash between the establishment and the burgeoning hippie movement. The story begins with Wyatt and Billy making money from a cocaine deal and using the funds to travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Riding custom-designed motorcycles, they encounter various characters and situations along the way, including a hippie commune, small-town hostility, and a charming but tragic lawyer, George Hanson, played by Jack Nicholson in a breakthrough role. The film portrays the contrasts between the ideals of the counterculture and the conservative values of mainstream America. Easy Rider was produced on a budget of $360,000 and became a commercial success, grossing over $60 million worldwide. Its groundbreaking soundtrack features iconic rock music by artists such as Steppenwolf, The Byrds, and Jimi Hendrix. The film's editing, non-linear narrative structure, and use of naturalistic settings contributed to its innovative style. It received critical acclaim for its portrayal of the social and political landscape of the 1960s and was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Nicholson and Best Original Screenplay for Fonda, Hopper, and Southern. The film is considered a cultural milestone, representing the spirit of rebellion and the disillusionment of the era. It has since been preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The Culture