The Fighter remains a standout film in Mark Wahlberg’s career, largely due to his outstanding portrayal of Micky Ward. Mark Wahlberg’s performance in The Fighter received widespread critical acclaim, and the film itself earned several Academy Award nominations.
To accurately portray Micky Ward, a professional boxer, he spent countless hours in the gym, honing his boxing skills, and getting into peak physical condition. However, Wahlberg was not the first choice for the role of Micky Wood. Film producer Todd Lieberman spoke on the Hollywood Gold podcast and revealed that rapper Eminem was his top pick for the part.
Eminem was the First choice to Star as Micky Ward in The Fighter
According to producer Todd Lieberman, Eminem was the first choice to play the lead role of Micky Ward in the 2010 boxing film The Fighter.
During a recent appearance on the Hollywood Gold podcast (Via THR), The Fighter producer Todd Lieberman said:
“The first person that we thought would star in this film was Eminem. Eminem was going to be Micky Ward.”
“That was a moment in time where he had come off with 8 Mile movie and he was interested in making movies and he wanted to do a boxing movie and that was something we pursued from and there was real life in that for a minute,” he added.
However, Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale ultimately landed the roles and the movie went on to gross $129 million worldwide, with a total of $177 million, as of today and received seven Oscar nominations, with Bale winning Best Supporting Actor and Melissa Leo taking home the award for Best supporting actress.
The Oscars heavily praised the film, giving it nominations like Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and two nominations for Best Supporting Actress, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay under its belt.
What Eminem Had to Say about his Acting Career?
With his 2002 hit 8 Mile, Eminem made a successful transition from music to film. The actor then turned down a few movie roles to concentrate solely on music.
The famous rapper took part in a Twitter Q&A in 2015 and when a fan asked if he sees himself as a “semi-actor” in the future, Eminem said:
“Well I have done movies before… Only one I was a main character in but others where I did small parts. Maybe I am a semi-actor? It’s fun for a small parts but my real passion is music.”
Despite his profound performance in 8 Mile, Marshall Mathers, aka Eminem, has only made a few cinematic appearances since 2002, popping up in minor roles and acclaimed cameos in films like The Interview and Funny People.
The Fighter is available to stream via Paramount Plus, Prime Video, and Netflix.
Source: Hollywood Gold podcast (Via The Hollywood Reporter)
