MGM brings the story of boxing champion Claressa Shields to the big screen in “The Fire Inside,” a biopic due out on Christmas Day. The film stars “Grown-ish” star Ryan Destiny as Shields and is directed by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison in her feature directorial debut.
Destiny demands the viewer’s attention in the movie’s first trailer. The film tells the story of Shields’ journey from her hometown of Flint, Michigan, to the Olympics — and what happened after her success, when she was forced to grapple with the pressure of providing for her family.
Shields, who at 17 as the youngest boxer at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012, won gold medals at both the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Olympics in Rio. She was also the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing at the Games.
She went pro after the 2016 Games and joined the Professional Fighters League in 2020. Shields made her debut as a mixed martial arts athlete in June 2021.
The movie premiered at TIFF on Sunday. “To see the auditorium filled with 1,000s of people warmed my heart! To see all of the cast, directors, writer, the entire crew put so much time & perfection into my my life story was so surreal! @ryandestiny portraying me was the best I could ask for! You do not want to miss the WORLD PREMIERE 12/25 in theaters all over the World!!!” Shields wrote on Instagram.
“The Fire Inside” was written by Oscar-winning “Moonlight” filmmaker Barry Jenkins, who also produced the movie alongside Elishia Holmes. Shields received an executive producer credit along with Morrison, Lyn Lucibello Brancatella, Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari and Sue Jaye Johnson.
The movie also stars Jazmin Headley, Kylee D. Allen, Brian Tyree Henry, De’Adre Aziza, Chrystian Buddington, Maurice Wayne Anglin, Teanna Weir, Idrissa Sanogo, Taytem Douglas, Olunike Adeliyi, Adam Clark, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Nendia Lewars, Sekhai Jayden Smith, Chidubem Rafael Echendu, Sarah Allen and Lanette Ware.
