Moviefone Editorial

Tag: sam-trammell

  • ‘The Gray House’ Interviews: Daisy Head and Amethyst Davis

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    Premiering on Prime Video February 26th is the new historical drama ‘The Gray House’, which was produced by Morgan Freeman (‘Glory’) and Kevin Costner (‘Dances with Wolves’), co-written by John Sayles (‘Eight Men Out’), and directed by Roland Joffé (‘The Killing Fields’).

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    The series stars Mary-Louise Parker (‘RED’), Daisy Head (‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’), Amethyst Davis (‘Kindred’), Ben Vereen (‘Tenspeed and Brown Shoe’), Robert Knepper (‘Prison Break’), Rob Morrow (‘Quiz Show’), Sam Trammell (‘True Blood’), Christopher McDonald (‘Happy Gilmore’), and Keith David (‘They Live’).

    (Left) Daisy Head stars in 'The Gray House'. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca. (Right) Amethyst Davis stars in 'The Gray House'. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.
    (Left) Daisy Head stars in ‘The Gray House’. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca. (Right) Amethyst Davis stars in ‘The Gray House’. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Daisy Head and Amethyst Davis about their work on ‘The Gray House’, the true story it is based on, their characters’ relationship, working with Mary-Louise Parker, and collaborating on set with director Roland Joffé.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Head, Davis, and Keith David.

    Related Article: Every Kevin Costner Movie and TV Western, Ranked

    Daisy Head stars in 'The Gray House'. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.
    Daisy Head stars in ‘The Gray House’. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Daisy, can you talk about the alliance that Elizabeth and her mother make with Mary Jane and the incredible work they do together against all odds?

    Daisy Head: It was a remarkable trio, a very tenacious group of women. Obviously, Mary Jane had suffered so much adversity and just had such an extraordinarily harrowing experience for any human to have endured. To be able to unite and rely on each other’s bravery, courage, and strength in their quest for freedom and to preserve American democracy was really humbling to experience as a human being and portraying that character in that role within that story. I was in awe of these three women and everything that they sacrificed. Being able to play against Mary-Louise and Amethyst in the scenes was just an absolute privilege, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.

    MF: Amethyst, in the series your character explains that she has lost her faith in God and that it is rage that keeps her going. Can you talk about that and how her rage gave her an advantage against the Confederates?

    Amethyst Davis: I think that’s a turning point of the whole series. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to when something traumatic and devastating happens, and you start to lose your faith a little bit and you get reunited with something else. But it’s something that the journey of feeling trauma and dealing with it and seeing it with your own eyes, with your own family can really give you ammo to get ready to do things that you never thought you would do.

    Amethyst Davis stars in 'The Gray House'. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.
    Amethyst Davis stars in ‘The Gray House’. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.

    MF: Amethyst, as an actor and as a human being, what was it like to act out some of the horrible situations in this series? Did it feel real at times, and how did that help inform your performance?

    AD: I think sometimes, but no, it didn’t feel real. The more prepared I was, the more removed from it I could be. There was one scene that was a real small scene, no lines, and I really didn’t prepare that much because I just thought, “Oh, it was going to be a quick scene.” It was not a quick scene. I was not prepared, so then therefore, I’m in it. It’s me in this scene, and now we’re traumatized. No, we weren’t traumatized. We shook it off and we were all a close cast, so we were able to help each other out and hang out with each other. So, we were able to shake that off.

    MF: Daisy, can you talk about the relationship between Elizabeth and her mother and what it was like working with Mary-Louise Parker?

    DH: I mean, Mary-Louise, testament to her, she is such a remarkably talented actor. To be able to have a relationship on screen, but develop it off-screen as well was a true joy because it I felt like we had our own chemistry and our own bond off-screen. I was able to, in scenes just feel very comfortable and safe in her company. She is an extraordinary talent, and I’m so fond of her as a human being. So, it really helped strengthen the narrative of the story, because there was an incredibly tight bond between us as people. Which just made it easier, and I was able to generate that kind of strength of relationship much faster than if it was someone else. So, it was a great privilege.

    Mary-Louise Parker stars in 'The Gray House'. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.
    Mary-Louise Parker stars in ‘The Gray House’. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.

    MF: Daisy, what was it like working with director Roland Joffé and watching him execute his vision for this project?

    DH: I mean, he’s just remarkable. He is so talented, and his eye and attention to detail is literally unparalleled. I just felt so honored to have the opportunity to work alongside him for such a long project and fully trust in his vision and concept. Because even in some scenes, I would be concerned about how something was being portrayed and about whether I needed to do it. He was just like, “No, trust me, in the bigger scheme of things, don’t worry too much about this little thing.” I put my full faith in him. I mean, the finished product, the work speaks for itself. He is an incredibly, extraordinarily talented human.

    MF: Finally, Amethyst, what was your experience like working with Roland?

    AD: I was just so surprised at how much he respected my voice and my opinion as being a newer actor. Anytime I had a suggestion or sometimes they would even ask me things. They never made me feel like, “Oh, you’re just an actor,” or “Oh, you’re just a new actor,” or anything like that. They were very respectful and open, and I know that doesn’t always happen.

    Mary-Louise Parker stars in 'The Gray House'. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.
    Mary-Louise Parker stars in ‘The Gray House’. Photo: Bogdan Merlusca.

    What is the plot of ‘The Gray House’?

    Based on a true story, the series is about the secret work carried out by Union spies during the American Civil War.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Gray House’?

    • Mary-Louise Parker as Eliza Baker Van Lew
    • Amethyst Davis as Mary Jane Richards
    • Daisy Head as Elizabeth Van Lew
    • Ben Vereen as Isham Worthy
    • Paul Anderson as Stokely Reeves
    • Robert Knepper as Bully Lumpkin
    • Sam Trammell as Jefferson Davis
    • Colin Morgan as Hamton Arsenault
    • Hannah James as Clara Parish
    • Keith David as Rev. Henry H. Varnett
    'The Gray House' Premieres on Prime Video February 26th.
    ‘The Gray House’ Premieres on Prime Video February 26th.

    List of Daisy Head Movies:

    Buy Daisy Head Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Big George Foreman’

    Forest Whitaker and Khris Davis star in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    (L to R) Forest Whitaker and Khris Davis star in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield. Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on April 28th is the new boxing biopic ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,’ which chronicles the life of boxer George Foreman and was directed by George Tillman Jr. (‘The Hate U Give’).

    Is ‘Big George Foreman’ based on a true story and what is the plot of the movie?

    Yes! ‘Big George Foreman’ is based on the true story of boxing legend George Foreman who rose from poverty to win an Olympic gold medal and eventually the Heavy Weight Championship of the World, twice! The film chronicles his rise to fame, his devastating loss to Muhammad Ali, his decision to leave boxing to become a Baptist preacher, and his return to the ring at age 46 to win back his title and become the oldest Heavy Weight Champion in history.

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    Who’s in the cast of ‘Big George Foreman?’

    ‘Big George Foreman’ stars Khris Davis (‘Judas and the Black Messiah’) as George Foreman, Jasmine Mathews (‘The Tomorrow War’) as Mary Jones, John Magaro (’The Big Short’) as Desmond, Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (‘One Night in Miami’) as Archie Moore, Sonja Sohn (‘Bringing Out the Dead’) as Nancy Foreman, Sam Trammell (‘The Fault in Our Stars’) as Rev. Virdell Stokes, Sullivan Jones (’18 ½’) as Muhammad Ali, and Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker (‘The Last King of Scotland’) as Doc Broadus.

    Initial Thoughts

    While George Forman’s life story is absolutely worthy of the big screen treatment, ‘Big George Foreman’ is a disappointing biopic which fails to capture the majesty of the boxer’s life, particularly the intensity of his legendary fights. Khris Davis is adequate as Foreman, but struggles to find the heart of the character playing the role in several different time periods.

    Khris Davis and director, George Tillman on the set of 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    (L to R) Khris Davis and director, George Tillman on the set of ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’
    Photo: Kyle Kaplan. Copyright: © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.

    Story and Direction

    George Foreman’s life story is a truly amazing one and very deserving of a biopic, in fact, I’m surprised it’s taken so long to get one. The movie chronicles his childhood in Texas, and his family’s struggle to survive do to poverty. Young Foreman is picked on by his classmates and eventually turns to violence to survive. The story then moves forward to his early 20’s where Foreman (now played by Davis) is committing crimes to get by. After a close call with the authorities, Foreman enrolls in a program called Job Corps, where he can receive his GED and learn skills for the workforce. But after a fight with one of the other students causes Foreman to almost be expelled, Doc Broadus (Forest Whitaker) takes an interest in George and begins to train him as a boxer.

    The film then hits all the beats from Foreman’s professional life that boxing fans will recognize, winning Olympic gold, winning the championship from Joe Frazier, losing to Muhammad Ali at “The Rumble in the Jungle,” quitting boxing, becoming a Baptist preacher, returning to the ring to fight Evander Holyfield, and eventually winning back the championship at the age of 46. However, one aspect of the boxer’s life, his famous George Foreman Grill business is only mentioned in passing as a meta-joke for the audience. The film also ignores most of George’s four previous marriages, and only focuses on his relationship with current wife Mary Jones (Jasmine Mathews).

    Director George Tillman Jr. is an accomplished filmmaker having delivered such movies as ‘Soul Food,’ ‘Men of Honor,’ ‘Faster,’ and the excellent ‘The Hate U Give.’ He is also no stranger to biopics having made ‘Notorious,’ which is the story of legendary rapper The Notorious B.I.G. However, with ‘Big George Foreman,’ the director fails to really capture the excitement and magnitude of Foreman’s struggles and accomplishments, which leaves us with a very “paint-by-numbers” biopic not unlike last year’s ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’ Both films chronicle the lives of their subjects well, hitting all of the important moments, but never giving us any insight or true understanding of the characters or the importance within those moments.

    Khris Davis as George Foreman and Sullivan Jones as Muhammad Ali in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    (L to R) Khris Davis as George Foreman and Sullivan Jones as Muhammad Ali in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield. Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The Boxing Scenes

    What should have been the best and most exciting moments of the movie are relegated to cheap looking reenactments of famous fights we all grew up watching, either when they happened or on replays or YouTube. In fact, arguably the most important fight of Foreman’s career was “The Rumble in the Jungle” with Ali, which was watched by millions live, and has since been seen in its entirety in the Oscar-winning documentary ‘When We Were Kings.’ We all know what the arena looked like in Zaire, how many people were there in Africa watching it live, and the movie’s replication cannot hold a candle to the actual event.

    I’m assuming that because of budget reasons it was impossible to make the crowds in those fights look realistic, but Tillman’s answer is to shoot in mostly close-ups, trying to mask the lack of audience with darkness and smoke, and it just comes off like a TV movie. Tillman does capture some great moments within the fights, like Ali’s rope-a-dope on Foreman, or Foreman’s rally at the end of the Holyfield fight, but otherwise the fight scenes are nothing spectacular, and don’t stand up to comparisons to other fight movies like Michael Mann biopic ‘Ali,’ which also features the Zaire fight, or recent boxing movies like ‘Southpaw’ and ‘Creed,’ and certainly not the documentary ‘When We Were Kings.’

    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield
    Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Khris Davis’ performance

    Actor Khris Davis gives an adequate performance as George Forman but struggles at times playing the character in different time periods. As the younger, 20-something version of George, the actor is quite good, playing the angry and quiet version of the character with strength and integrity. But you also don’t quite get an idea of who George really was at that time other than an angry young man, and the character becomes more lost as the movie goes on.

    Davis physically transforms well into the older, bald, and overweight version of the boxer, the one most of us are more familiar with. But even then, Davis’ performance is lost underneath the characterization of Foreman, and becomes almost a cartoon character in the final act. Davis is believable in the fight scenes, even though I had issues with the way they were shot. But Davis’ best scenes are with Forest Whitaker, and the relationship between George and Doc is really the best part of the movie.

    Khris Davis as George Foreman and Sullivan Jones as Muhammad Ali in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    (L to R) Khris Davis as George Foreman and Sullivan Jones as Muhammad Ali in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield. Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: The 20 Greatest Boxing Movies Ever Made, Ranked

    Who Plays Ali in ‘Big George Forman?’

    But Davis is also very good when he is playing off of Sullivan Jones, who plays Muhammed Ali. While Ali is portrayed as the movie’s antagonist, as he should be in Foreman’s story, the two characters share a unique bond, which is sweetly demonstrated in the third act of the movie. Jones is quite good as Ali, portraying the boxer’s signature humor and bombastic personality, while still providing the humanity of the character. Again, this is George’s story, not Ali’s, but it is interesting to see the Zaire scenes play out from George’s point of view at the time, which is different than how they played out in real-life, as documented in ‘When We Were Kings.’ Sullivan is also believable in the fight sequences, and it doesn’t hurt that the actor does have a striking resemblance to the late GOAT.

    I also must mention that besides Ali, the film fails miserably when it introduces actors as other really famous people. Michael Mann’s ‘Ali’ worked because they cast top actors like Jon Voight as Howard Cosell and Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X. But ‘Big George Foreman’ does not have that luxury, and cast virtual unknowns as larger-than-life personalities such as Cosell or Johnny Carson. Because of the level of actor playing those roles, they look like cheap impersonations rather than actual fleshed out performances.

    Forest Whitaker stars in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    Forest Whitaker stars in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield. Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The Supporting Cast

    ‘The Wire’s Sonja Sohn gives a good performance as George’s mother Nancy, and has an excellent scene when she is advising her son, but unfortunately the role is somewhat limited. And ‘The Big Short’s John Magaro deserved a better role, as his character, George’s longtime friend and business manager Desmond, seemed more like an amalgamation of several people from George’s life and not an actual character. But Jasmine Mathews gives a very good performance as Mary Joan, Foreman’s wife, and has some powerful scenes with Davis despite her lack of screentime.

    But, no surprise to anyone, the best acting in the movie is delivered by Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker as Doc Broadus. Whitaker gives a very thoughtful and emotional performance, and the relationship between the boxer and trainer are really at the heart of the film. Boxing movie fans may have a bit of deja vu when they see Whitaker as Broadus, as the actor also played Jake Gyllenhaal’s trainer in ‘Southpaw,’ but the two characters could not be more different, and Whitaker’s performance, in some ways, saves ‘Big George Foreman’ from being a complete disaster.

    Final Thoughts

    In the end, George Foreman deserves a better biopic than this! While the real-life story is amazing, the execution of the acting, direction, and the fight scenes just wasn’t up to the level one would expect from a movie like this. While there were some good moments and strong performances from Jones and Whitaker, the movie fails to win any championships and is certainly no knock out!

    ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World’ receives 4.5 out of 10 stars.

    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield
    Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World:’

    Buy Boxing Movies On Amazon

    ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World’ is produced by Mandalay Pictures, Affirm Films, Sony Pictures, and State Street Pictures, and is scheduled for release on April 28th.

  • ‘Big George Foreman’s George Foreman and Forest Whitaker

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    ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,’ the new biopic that chronicles the life of boxer George Foreman, opens in theaters on April 28th and was directed by George Tillman Jr. (‘The Hate U Give’).

    Is ‘Big George Foreman’ Based on a true story and what is the plot of the movie?

    Yes! ‘Big George Foreman’ is based on the true story of boxing legend George Foreman who rose from poverty to win an Olympic gold medal and eventually the Heavy Weight Championship of the World, twice! The film chronicles his rise to fame, his devastating loss to Muhammad Ali, his decision to leave boxing to become a Baptist preacher, and his return to the ring at age 46 to win back his title and become the oldest Heavy Weight Champion in history.

    1lHb7vD9TBSwSHJ78x8tP6

    Who’s in the cast of ‘Big George Foreman?’

    ‘Big George Foreman’ stars Khris Davis (‘Judas and the Black Messiah’) as George Foreman, Jasmine Mathews (‘The Tomorrow War’) as Mary Jones, John Magaro (’The Big Short’) as Desmond, Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (‘One Night in Miami’) as Archie Moore, Sonja Sohn (‘Bringing Out the Dead’) as Nancy Foreman, Sam Trammell (‘The Fault in Our Stars’) as Rev. Virdell Stokes, Sullivan Jones (’18 ½’) as Muhammad Ali, and Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker (‘The Last King of Scotland’) as Doc Broadus.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with legendary boxer George Foreman and Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker about their work on ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,’ bringing Foreman’s story to the big screen, his relationship with trainer and mentor Doc Broadus, Whitaker’s approach to playing him, and what Foreman hopes audiences take away from the film.

    Boxing legend George Foreman, the subject of 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.'
    Boxing legend George Foreman, the subject of ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Foreman, Whitaker, Kris Davis and director George Tillman Jr.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Mr. Foreman, what has this experience been like for you to have your life’s story translated to the big screen?

    George Foreman: You go about your whole life wearing dog glasses, building big fence around your home, you got your privacy, and you go out in your car with dark windows. Then all of a sudden you have to reveal your life. That hasn’t been easy, but once I saw the movie, I was happy because it was a story that reveals hope. A lot of us just didn’t have hope like I did in the beginning, but the movie tells a story of hope.

    MF: Are there one or two aspects of your life that are personally important for you to have included in this movie, and if so, what were they?

    GF: I didn’t really see the most important parts until I really saw it on screen and what you can do with a picture. That young boy looking into these houses that my mom would move into, nothing but old refrigerators and stoves, I didn’t have any hope that it would get better. I really didn’t think about success and I keep reliving that moment, a boy without hope, and I cried when I saw it in the movie. It touched my heart to know now that anybody can have hope.

    Khris Davis and Forest Whitaker stars in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    (L to R) Khris Davis and Forest Whitaker stars in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield. Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about your friendship with Doc Broadus and what did you think of Forest Whitaker’s performance?

    GF: Forest Whitaker brought out probably the most interesting and really, if there was going to be a movie star in the movie, it was Doc Broadus in my life. He brought Doc Broadus alive for me and you realize that was someone I had met who never gave up on me. This man believed in me from the day I met him. I was about 16 or 17 years old, and then him there with me carrying my bucket when I was 45 years old to become champion of the world. He never doubted me. What a journey. It was ironic that the guy who played Doc Broadus was a real movie star. Doc Broadus was a real star of my life.

    MF: Mr. Whitaker, how aware of Doc Broadus’ role in George Foreman’s story were you before making this movie, and what did you learn about him that really helped you play the role?

    Forest Whitaker: I really wasn’t aware. At that time when I was watching these fights as a kid, I didn’t really know the coaches or the trainers. I think that other than Angelo Dundee and a few people, that’s the way it was for most trainers. You don’t really know the names of the boxing trainers, but I learned a lot while working on this film, and I learned a lot about Doc Broadus and his relationship with George, and that was good.

    Forest Whitaker stars in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.'
    Forest Whitaker stars in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.’

    MF: How would you describe their relationship? He was really a mentor to him, correct?

    FW: Yeah. I mean, he’s a coach, but he’s a mentor. He’s trying to guide him in the right direction. I mean, he’s instrumental. He starts the Job Corps Boxing Association there, and that’s what George got into. That’s the beginning of his boxing career, and this man carried him all the way through all the ups and downs, because there were downs as well during that period of time, and he was able to guide him to the championship.

    MF: What was your experience like working with Khris Davis and building the relationship between these two characters on screen?

    FW: I mean, Khris, he’s a really talented actor, and he was totally committed to the embodiment of the character, the way he moved and talked and behaved, and then was committing himself to so much physical change with all the weight gain and stuff. So for us, it was just about a matter of us trusting each other in the scenes and trying to make sure that we lived in the truth of what we both found out. He did a great job.

    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield
    Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Mr. Foreman, did you have any words of advice for Khris Davis and what did you think of his performance as you in the film?

    GF: What a wonderful actor. I didn’t want just a celebrity to play George Foreman or to imitate George Foreman. I needed an actor. This guy is a great actor, and he brought George Foreman to the screen. People ask me, “Who is the real George Foreman?” I tell them, “Khris Davis.” He brought it alive and I sat with him for just a couple of moments, looked him in the eye and he tried to turn his head, and I said, “No, look me in the eye. Can you see me?” He said, “Yes, I can see you.” I said, “That’s when I was winning the ring. That’s the person I was.” So those visits really made him bring out George Foreman.

    MF: Mr. Whitaker, what was your experience like working with filmmaker George Tillman Jr.?

    FW: George Tillman was really clear and visionary about it all. I mean, he had been working on the film for quite a while, and in fact it was going to go, and then it didn’t go, and then it went again later. But I think he was key to the temperament of the movie and it being such an inspiring empowerment story.

    Khris Davis and director, George Tillman on the set of 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    (L to R) Khris Davis and director, George Tillman on the set of ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’
    Photo: Kyle Kaplan. Copyright: © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights.

    MF: Have you had any time to spend with Mr. Foreman over the years or during the process of making this film and what do you respect most about him as a boxer and a human being?

    FW: I got a chance to meet him briefly a couple of times, but I didn’t get a chance to get to know him that deeply like that. All I could say is that he was kind of a childhood hero and he has a quiet confidence that’s pretty impressive, his aura and his energy.

    MF: Finally, Mr. Foreman, what do you hope audiences take away from seeing this movie that maybe they didn’t previously know about the life and career of George Foreman?

    GF: So many people know me as a champion of the world, the grill salesman, but few knew that I had started without hope. Hope didn’t exist. The word success didn’t exist. A lot of us today don’t realize there are a lot of people without hope. You can pick it up anytime you want and you can start using the word potential and success with your name too. That’s what they’ll get out of that movie. There’s potential in all of us.

    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in 'Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.'
    Khris Davis stars as George Foreman in ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavy Weight Champion of the World.’ Photo: Alan Markfield
    Copyright: © 2021 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World:’

    Buy Boxing Movies On Amazon

    ‘Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World’ is produced by Mandalay Pictures, Affirm Films, Sony Pictures, and State Street Pictures, and is scheduled for release on April 28th.