Summary
- Mark Wahlberg’s intense training for The Fighter spanned five years, helping him authentically portray a boxer on screen.
- Despite setbacks in casting and directing, Wahlberg’s dedication to the role made his performance stand out.
- Supporting performances by Christian Bale and Melissa Leo in The Fighter earned Oscars, cementing the film’s legacy in cinematic history.
Mark Wahlberg reflects on his extensive training and filming difficulties for The Fighter. Directed by David O’ Russell, The Fighter follows the true story of Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund, the former a fledgling boxer who tries to escape the shadow of his more famous but troubled older brother and get his own shot at greatness. Wahlberg leads the film’s cast as Micky Ward alongside Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo.
Appearing on Variety‘s series in which actors are quizzed on lines from their most famous movies and TV shows, Wahlberg reflected on his extensive training and filming difficulties for The Fighter. Watch the portion of the video below, starting at the 3:24 minute mark:
Wahlberg says the long and challenging process of making The Fighter involved years of intense training, which ultimately helped him become more convincing in the role of a boxer. Despite numerous setbacks, including losing key actors and directors, the extended period of preparation made his portrayal more authentic. Read his full reflection below:
I trained for five years carrying around a… Like you see these crates that carry the lights and stuff? I was carrying speed bags and double end bags and shit. We had the movie, was a go at Paramount, had a big budget, and then it fell apart. And then we lost Darren Aronofsky, and we lost Brad Pitt, and then we lost Matt Damon. Then it became an independent film with David O. Russell and Christian. The way we ended up making it, it took five years on and off. So, but the thing with the boxing is it wasn’t like, okay, I trained for the five months leading up to the initial production schedule. It fell apart, and then once we finally got the green light, I could just kind of pick up, either pick up where I left off or retain those skills. So, the only good part about that length of time was it allowed me to be that much more believable as a guy who could win the World Three title, versus an actor who you’ve seen many times looking like, well he probably has never been in a real fight, but I think we could cut and shoot here, and lots of editing, so, ’cause we shot all the fights in real time, and we tried to make it as real as possible. No, it was a lot of training.
The Fighter’s Filming Difficulties & Mark Wahlberg’s Training Explained
He Trained For Five Years Of Filming Difficulties
In 2003, fresh off the success of 8 Mile, Eminem was the first choice to play Micky Ward, but he declined the role, so Matt Damon was also considered for the part. Wahlberg joined The Fighter in 2005, which had long been a passion project for him, and Darren Aronofsky was hired to direct. Production was set to begin in 2008 with Christian Bale replacing Brad Pitt, but by then, Aronofsky had left to focus on other projects, so Wahlberg chose Russell, having worked with him previously on Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees.
Meanwhile, all through the long pre-production process, Wahlberg was committed to an intense bodybuilding regimen. He dedicated five years to sculpting a muscular physique convincing enough to play a professional fighter, enlisting Freddie Roach as his boxing coach to master Mickey Ward’s unique fighting style, while receiving additional instruction from Manny Pacquiao. During the previous six films Wahlberg worked on, he was simultaneously preparing for The Fighter. For the final two years of training, he built a gym in his home, complete with a personal boxing ring.
Though The Fighter is one of the stronger performances of Wahlberg’s career, it was the film’s supporting performances that won Oscars. Bale received his first nomination and won for his portrayal of Mickey’s brother and trainer, Dicky Eklund, a former boxer struggling with drug addiction, while Melissa Leo also won an Oscar for her performance as Alice Eklund-Ward, the mother of both fighters. While Wahlberg’s intense preparation was pivotal for The Fighter‘s authenticity, the film is perhaps better remembered for its Oscar-winning supporting performances by Bale and Melissa Leo.
Source: Variety
