First official still from the Kurt Sutter-scripted drama features an unrecognisable Gyllenhaal.
‘Southpaw’ centres on Billy “The Great” Hope, a junior middleweight champion who loses everything in a personal tragedy and is forced to fight his way to redemption.
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“Jake is going to change how people see him,” Fuqua told Deadline. “I had him training twice a day in the boxing ring, he did two-a-days seven days a week. I pretty much had him with me and my trainer every day. I took him to almost every fight. I had him train at Floyd Mayweather’s gym in Vegas and we watched Floyd’s fights, and the Manny Pacquiao fight. He trained in New York at Church Gym with real fighters. We literally turned him into a beast… Jake, my god, he’s a very electric, powerful fighter in this movie, and a guy who fights for his daughter. I’m confident that this will change how people see Jake, as a leading man.”
‘Southpaw’ film co-stars Rachel McAdams, Naomie Harris, Forest Whitaker, Beau Knapp, and Oona Laurence.