‘The Fire Inside’ Star Ryan Destiny on the ‘Trippy Experience’ of Working With Claressa Shields and Bringing the Boxer’s Story to the Screen

As a long-time cinephile with a penchant for tales of resilience and determination, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration when I learned about Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut, “The Fire Inside.” The story of Claressa Shields, a gold medalist boxer, is one that resonates deeply with me, having spent countless hours watching athletes strive for greatness on the silver screen.

For Rachel Morrison’s first full-length directorial work, “The Fire Inside,” there was a significant amount of expectation to create an accurate portrayal and honor the story of boxing gold medalist Claressa Shields. However, the excitement of transitioning from being behind the camera to sitting in the director’s chair, allowing her to oversee the project from start to finish, outweighed any self-imposed stress.

Morrison expressed his aspiration: ‘It’s like a dream come true to be involved in something from start to finish,’ he said. As a cinematographer, he felt detached once the production process ended, but as a director now, he can contribute to the score, post-production, editing, and overall vision, from the beginning to the end. He’s thrilled about the opportunity to see his vision come alive.

At the Toronto Film Festival Studio supported by J.Crew and SharkNinja, within the EbMaster framework, Morrison was accompanied by actors Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry from “The Fire Inside” movie. Together, they delved into their creative process of portraying the gripping tale of a successful female boxer onto the silver screen.

The film titled ‘The Fire Inside’ narrates the journey of Shields, from her childhood in Flint, Michigan, to winning gold at the Olympic Games. Destiny, initially unsure if she would secure the part of Shields, approached her audition with a casual, ‘let’s see what happens’ mentality. Interestingly, it was this relaxed mindset that ultimately helped her land the leading role.

Destiny expressed that it proved beneficial in the long run as she felt it allowed her to relax slightly. As the work on the project progressed, her involvement deepened. Then, when she received a callback and landed the role, she exclaimed with excitement, “I’m actually doing this!

By chance, Destiny and Shields share the same age and hail from Michigan. The 29-year-old actor found it a surreal process preparing for the role alongside her real-life counterpart, but expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to connect with Shields before filming began.

Destiny recalled that one of the initial questions she was asked was whether I had ever been in a fight before. Her query caught me off guard, and I responded with something like, “Girl, no way.” However, I sensed a brief moment of apprehension, followed by her acceptance and understanding of the situation. Fortunately, after viewing the completed film, she expressed her delight with it.

Beyond being excited about collaborating with Destiny and Morrison, what attracted Henry to this project was his annoyance that the tale of Shields wasn’t widely recognized by the average public yet.

This female, two-time gold medalist boxer from Flint, Mich., who is black and fights out of a black boxing gym, isn’t receiving the recognition or being celebrated as one of the greatest champions ever. Henry felt frustrated by this and wanted to tell her story authentically, which he believed they could do because Rachel was involved in it. The second part that excited him was Ryan.

Watch the full conversation above.

2024-09-09 03:46

‘The Fire Inside’ Star Ryan Destiny on the ‘Trippy Experience’ of Working With Claressa Shields and Bringing the Boxer’s Story to the Screen

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