[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for The Fire Inside.]

Summary

Claressa Shields, a trailblazer in women’s boxing, has an inspirational story of determination and athletic achievement that’s highlighted in ‘The Fire Inside.’

Shields served as an executive producer for the film, overseeing the script and the portrayal of her life story.

Women’s boxing has progressed, with fighters like Shields breaking barriers, aiming for increased visibility and equal pay.

A trailblazer for women’s boxing, Claressa Shields is the only American boxer, male or female, to achieve back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics. Her success and fight for equal respect are highlighted in the inspirational true story The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison from a script by Barry Jenkins. While in high school, Claressa (Ryan Destiny) met coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), who saw potential in her that she didn’t see in herself and gave her the support she needed to reach limits she didn’t realize she was capable of. But her fight didn’t end with that early success, as she continues to get in the ring today, her next match taking place on February 2nd in her hometown of Flint, Michigan.
During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Shields talked about having a biopic hit theaters while she’s still the number one female boxer in the world, how she found out about the movie and got involved as an executive producer, being an open book for Jenkins as he worked on the script, what it was like to experience seeing the film for the first time, her thoughts on Destiny’s portrayal of her, what the world of female boxing still needs to change, and how she’s built up her own confidence over the years.
‘The Fire Inside’ Is in Theaters at a Time When Boxer Claressa Shields Is Still Defending Her Success in the Ring

Image via PBS

Collider: We don’t often have time to stop and appreciate our experiences while we’re having them. What’s it like to have this film to reflect on the earlier portion of your life and career while you’re still in it? Has it changed your perspective on anything or made you appreciate anything differently?
CLARESSA SHIELDS: I appreciate everything. To even be able to be 29 years old and to have a biopic coming out about my life, I’m still the number one woman boxer in the world right now. To have these accomplishments and then to have the movie coming out is just a testament of how hard I’ve worked, how much time I’ve put into building myself up, how powerful my story really is, and how important it is to show that I never gave up. I have taken a look at it, and this is so surreal to me. I have a boxing match in two months, on February 2nd, where I’ll be defending more titles. Who gets to have a biopic come out about their life, and then fight two months later for another world championship? It’s very insane to me.

Related

‘The Fire Inside’ Review: Rachel Morrison’s Strong Directorial Debut Almost Lands the Punch

Written by Barry Jenkins, ‘The Fire Inside’ is a boxing film that shines outside the ring.

How were you made aware of a movie about you? You’re an executive producer on this, which means you were able to voice your own thoughts and opinions. So, how far along was it when you got involved
SHIELDS: It would never have started without me checking my email and making a phone call. And then, after I made the phone call from the email, I met the writer (Barry Jenkins). Me and him met and talked in person for four or five hours. And then, I met (director) Rachel Morrison before they had the casting of who would play me. My big executive producer parts were letting Barry write the script, and then reading the script, and then okaying the script about my life. He sent it to me, I read it, and I sent back my notes, and then we went on from there. The other part of being an executive producer, for me, was when I okayed the movie. I didn’t have to do much on set. If Ryan [Destiny] needed me there, I definitely would have gone, but I didn’t have to.
Olympic Gold Medalist Boxer Claressa Shields Wanted Her Reality Portrayed in ‘The Fire Inside’

What input did you give Barry Jenkins that you felt was most important for him to know, to really get it?
SHIELDS: When I first met him, I said, “What is your perception of what my life is? What’s my life story to you?” And then, he told me. I said, “That was okay, but you missed a few things.” And then, I spoke to him about what I had seen my life as and what I had seen my story as. He asked his questions and took his notes, and he went home, wrote the script a couple weeks later, and sent it to me. I was an open book for Barry because I wanted him to know that I wanted the real story told. I didn’t want anything left out, even the hard stuff. I wanted it all in there.

Related

“I Really Hope This Movie Serves as a Love Letter to Those Who Are Coaching”: ‘The Fire Inside’s Brian Tyree Henry on the Importance of Having Someone Lift You Up

Ryan Destiny also talked about her physical and mental training to play Olympic gold medalist boxer Claressa Shields, and her favorite boxing scenes.

How did the experience of reading the script for the first time compare to watching the finished movie for the first time?
SHIELDS: It was two different things. Reading it, I could put my own pictures and stuff in there. And then, seeing the movie was completely different. I don’t know how they made the script match up to the movie, but that’s what they did. That’s why I let everybody do their job. When I read the script and then I looked at the movie, it was movie magic, the way they put it all together. It was definitely two different feelings.
How does the experience feel when you’re watching a movie where someone is playing you in the story of your life? Can you sit back and enjoy it? Was there a moment you felt like they really got who you were?
SHIELDS: The first time I watched the movie, I watched it as another sports movie. I tried to take myself out of it, not put myself in it. When a movie is really good, it sucks you into it. So, the fact that the movie is about my life and it’s about me and she’s portraying me, I found myself being sucked into the movie. I was like, “Oh, my God, this girl is phenomenal.” She portrayed me so well. There wasn’t a part where I was like, “I would have never done that.” If I have to give any criticism, I’ll say that I don’t make sounds when I cry, and in the movie, she makes sounds when she cries. But her mannerisms, her boxing, how she is, everything, was just great. I was just so happy with her performance, and also with Brian Tyree [Henry]’s performance. It was so great to see.

Related

“There’s Something Much More Inspirational About Realism”: ‘The Fire Inside’s Director on How Resilience Can Matter More Than Winning

Director Rachel Morrison also talks about how her final cut ultimately ended up less than five minutes shorter than her first cut of the film.

What did you enjoy about watching that dynamic of them together?
SHIELDS: It embodies the relationship that me and Jason did have. That was my coach, my father figure, and one of the best mentors anyone can have in life. I’m just so happy to have had the privilege to learn from him and learn boxing from him and just take his wisdom. He gave all his wisdom to me. Now, I’m a 29-year-old woman who has the wisdom of a 60-year-old.
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry of any kind isn’t easy, but it seems like in the field of boxing. It would just be even that much more difficult. What do you think still needs to change in the world of female boxing right now?
SHIELDS: I think that women’s boxing has come a long way, from 2012 until now. Now, there are maybe three of us who are making million-dollar paydays or more and we’re getting the viewership. Right now, we’ve just gotta continue to build our brands, continue to grow, and continue to fight the best fight. I think women’s boxing is gonna take off. To me, it already has taken off, but it’s gonna take off more. You’re gonna see me get a big deal for $20 million for five fights, or something like that, very, very soon.
Claressa Shields Embraces Being the Best Female Boxer in the World

Image via PBS

You’ve accomplished so much already. You fought for equal pay for all Olympic female boxers. Have you always felt a sense of pride in being able to say that you’re the best female fighter in the world? Have you always believed in yourself, or is that something that you’ve had to learn to embrace more?
SHIELDS: I always felt that I was a good boxer, at the beginning. From 11 to 14 or 15, I knew I was a pretty good boxer. But at 15, Jason was like, “You’re not a pretty good boxer, you’re the best boxer in the world. You’re better than all them girls. They can’t beat you.” I remember Jason telling me that, and I remember it was at a time when I didn’t believe it. I was like, “All right, coach. You’re just saying that.” And he was like, “No, I mean it. You are. Believe that.” When I was 15, I woke up and was just like, “I’m the greatest.” That’s when I started to embrace it. It wasn’t always there. I knew I could fight. I knew I had an undefeated record. But at the age of 16, I embraced it. Jason saw something in me before I saw it in myself, and then I continued to feel that way because I kept winning and I broke records. I finished amateur boxing with 78 wins and one loss. Now, I’m professional, 15 and 0. I’ve got 15 world titles. I’ve got two Olympic gold medals. I’m the most decorated boxer in history, male or female. When there are things like that, I am the greatest and I’ve been the greatest for a long time. My hard work made me feel even greater. When I’m working hard, I definitely feel like I’m the greatest, ever.

Your changes have been saved

The Fire Inside

The Fire Inside chronicles the journey of boxer Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields from Flint, Michigan, as she trains and becomes the first American woman to achieve an Olympic gold medal in boxing, highlighting her determination and athletic achievements.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Director

Rachel Morrison

Cast

Ryan Destiny
, Jazmin Headley
, Kylee D. Allen
, Brian Tyree Henry
, De’Adre Aziza
, Chrystian Buddington
, Maurice Wayne Anglin
, Teanna Weir

Runtime

109 minutes

Writers

Barry Jenkins

The Fire Inside is now playing in theaters. Check out the trailer:

Get tickets