Meryl Streep’s 2017 Golden Globes speech has angered many fans and high-profile figures after the Lifetime Achievement Awardee said that football and mixed martial arts are not considered arts. The veteran actress is known for her iconic roles in The Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia, as well as her lengthy and award-studded career in Hollywood.
Professional mixed martial artist Conor McGregor was utterly offended by Streep’s take on his sports, which he claimed he used as a motivation to do his best in Doug Liman’s Road House film.
Conor McGregor Slams Meryl Streep’s Controversial Speech Through His Performance In Road House
At the 2017 Golden Globe event via Independent, actress Meryl Streep notably delivered a speech that ended up becoming controversial, especially for people whose professions and hobbies were sports.
“Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners, and if we kick them all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts.”
While her speech was applauded by the live audience, some expressed dismay. Conor McGregor, for one, revealed via The Hollywood Reporter that he turned this negative remark into something positive with his performance in 2024’s Road House.
“Fighting is the most beautiful form of art, and you know, it’s a great thing to come into this game, which is also art. I was really taken aback because fighting is an art. It’s brutal also, so I can understand. It’s not for somebody to make a mistake.”
For people who work and dabble in the field of mixed martial arts and any type of contact sports, the beauty of it is seen in the passion and determination to win. Hence, the UFC legend was so pumped up to give an all-out show in his movie project.
“It’s real artistry for those who do what we do, so I came in [to filming Road House] with maybe a little chip on my shoulder and wanting to represent my sport and my art, give my best in this arena.”
In the Road House remake, McGregor plays Knox, who fights against Jake Gyllenhaal’s Elwood Dalton, a former UFC champion-turned-bouncer. Interestingly, this is also his first feature film.
How Much Did Conor McGregor Earn In Road House?
Not only did McGregor work hard to prove Streep wrong about her perception of mixed martial arts, but the athlete also claimed to have been given a lucrative first-time actor salary deal. In a now-deleted tweet via Sportskeeda, the UFC star wrote:
“I’m the highest-paid first-time actor of all time, on record, pipping Dwayne Johnson for the top spot. Add that to the rest of my accolades.”
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The actor’s pay was not publicly disclosed, but according to the same outlet, “The Irishman could have potentially made between $6 million and $10 million for his first Hollywood gig.”
Dwayne Johnson, notably the most successful athlete-turned-actor, earned $5.5 million for his debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.
Road House is available to stream via Amazon Prime.
