- Title: 'The Fire Inside': stars discuss inspirational female boxing movie
- Date: 23rd December 2024
- Summary: UNKNOWN LOCATION (DECEMBER 14, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRIAN TYREE HENRY AND RYAN DESTINY, SAYING: BrIan: "We are also playing real people. Jason and Claressa are so authentically who they are. And so we had this wonderful guidebook called 'T-Rex' which is a documentary that followed the journey to the Olympics with Claressa and Jason. And because they are so authentically who they are, we had no choice but to be authentic." Ryan: "It was a great blueprint." Brain: "We had to be, it had to feel lived in, we had to be truthful. Some of these scenes that you see in the movie are taken directly from the documentary."
- Embargoed: 6th January 2025 10:23
- Keywords: Fire inside boxing movie
- Location: VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS / UNKNOWN /LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City: VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS / UNKNOWN /LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: US
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Film,North America
- Reuters ID: LVA002901623122024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The stars of true life boxing drama 'The Fire Inside' spoke about how they brought authenticity to the new film about the struggles of American boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields and her coach.
As a young Black woman, Shields fought her way from difficult circumstance at her home in Flint, Michigan to the 2012 Olympics in London. The movie follows all her ups and downs in getting there.
"Because they are so authentically who they are, we had no choice but to be authentic," said actor Brian Tyree Henry who plays Shields' coach Jason Crutchfield in a critically acclaimed performance. "We had to be, it had to feel lived in, we had to be truthful."
Shields, played by the singer-actor Ryan Destiny, lives on the breadline in the movie but is determined to fight her way to Olympic success.
Although the actress kept in touch with Shields during filming and received tips on her performance, the pair did not meet until the film had finished shooting.
"When we did finally meet it was a very beautiful just moment we had with each other. We felt like we had known each other for a long time," Destiny said.
The film marks the directorial debut for cinematographer Rachel Morrison, who said very little in the story had been invented or changed for dramatic effect.
"It's actually incredibly true to life, all of those fights really happened, and the relationship with the coach and even some of the complicated dynamics with her family, it's all very representative of her real experience, her real family."
'The Fire Inside' will be released in the U.S. on December 25 with a UK release to be announced.
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