Brian Tyree Henry is entering into the ring—kind of. The Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor stars within the trailer for The Fire Inside, portraying Jason Crutchfield, the tough-love coach of boxing legend Claressa “T-Rex” Shields. The film, written by Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins and directed by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison, tells the inspirational true story of Shields’ rise to Olympic greatness, Justjared reports. Ryan Destiny stars alongside Henry because the Flint, Michigan-born Shields, who made history as the primary American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.
The trailer gives viewers a glimpse into Crutchfield and Shields’ journey as they prepare for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. “What you consider girls boxing?” Crutchfield asks, because the stakes raise for Shields, who faces immense challenges not only within the ring but in her personal life as well. The story highlights the grit and determination Shields embodied as she pushed past the constraints imposed on her as a young Black woman from Flint, Michigan, to achieve the top of her sport.
A Star-Studded Production
The Fire Inside has been generating significant buzz, especially after debuting to stellar reviews on the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). With Jenkins attached as author and producer and Morrison making her directorial debut, the film marks a compelling addition to the sports biopic genre. Morrison, best known for her work on Mudbound and Black Panther, made history as the primary woman nominated for the Best Cinematography Oscar, and The Fire Inside guarantees to deliver on her distinct visual style.
Henry’s portrayal of Crutchfield adds a layer of emotional depth to the film, as he helps Shields navigate the complexities of being a young athlete on the world stage. Shields’ story, already chronicled within the 2015 documentary T-Rex, finally ends up elevated to recent heights with this narrative feature, which attracts comparisons to classic underdog sports movies like Rocky.
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Ryan Destiny as Claressa Shields
Ryan Destiny, best known for her roles in Grown-ish and Oracle, takes on the role of Shields, embodying the boxer’s tenacity and resilience. Shields, only 17 when she won her first Olympic gold medal, would go on to win a second within the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, solidifying her status as one among the best female boxers of all time. The film explores not only her athletic achievements but in addition the private sacrifices and struggles she faced along the best way.
Initially titled Flint Strong and developed at Universal Pictures, the project found recent life after Amazon MGM acquired the rights, with Destiny stepping in to portray Shields and Brian Tyree Henry replacing Ice Cube, who was originally set to play Crutchfield. The film’s eventual release aligns with an Olympic 12 months, making it a timely celebration of Shields’ extraordinary accomplishments.
