‘The Fire Inside’ Star Ranks Hollywood’s Best Boxing Movies

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20 years ago, Clint Eastwood’s poignant movie “Million Dollar Baby” was awarded Best Picture at the Oscars, leaving audiences emotionally moved and introduced them to Hilary Swank’s unforgettable portrayal of a female boxer. Now, an enthralling new film titled “The Fire Inside” is here, flipping the script of Eastwood’s movie and adapting a captivating true story into a cinematic masterpiece. This film follows the journey of gold-medalist boxer Claressa Shields, featuring both talented individuals behind and in front of the camera. The screenwriter for this film is Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”), while rising star Ryan Destiny (“Grown-ish”) takes on the role of a young Michigan native Shields, delivering an authentic performance that makes “The Fire Inside” a powerful punch in multiple ways.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Destiny during the LA press junket for her latest film. We delved deeper into her project and discovered if there are any other boxing movies she holds dear. “Once I found out I’d be doing this role,” Destiny shared with us, “I ended up watching a lot more films, not just for research purposes but because I became genuinely curious.

Clearly, “Million Dollar Baby” and “Raging Bull” are films that immediately spring to mind for me. I saw “Million Dollar Baby” at a young age and found it incredibly intriguing. “Raging Bull” is a classic, no doubt about it. I also enjoyed “Creed” immensely, and the experience of seeing it in theaters was fantastic. As for the “Rocky” series, they are all exceptional films. And let’s not forget “Southpaw”. So, those are my top picks.

Destiny continued:

The list seems to go on forever due to its extensive nature. However, I can only count a few movies about female boxing on one hand, which is disappointing. But it’s fantastic that our film has now joined the rotation, making it quite exciting. I feel privileged. I truly hope we’ll see more of such films in the future.

Working Off Barry Jenkins’ “Grounded” Script

Destiny’s compelling portrayal of Shields and her journey to triumph is significantly enhanced by Barry Jenkins’ skillful writing, as he also directs Mufasa: The Lion King simultaneously. Destiny explains how she managed to blend Jenkins’ dialogue with real-life sources effectively.

Barry has an exceptional talent with words, making them feel genuine and earthy. This provided us with an excellent foundation, allowing us to build upon it and express our own feelings. Additionally, interacting with these characters during the time period we portrayed them was essential, yet it was fascinating to blend real-life insights with our interpretation.

From Amazon MGM Studios, The Fire Inside is now playing in theaters nationwide.

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2025-01-06 05:31