British Cruiserweight, Tony Bellew, is one of stars of the Rocky saga’s latest editions, Creed. But how did Bellew get involved in the project and plant himself into one of the biggest boxing movie franchises of all time?
The 32-year-old recently caught up with Boxing News, speaking about popping his acting cherry, and what it means to be appearing on the silver screen.
On landing the role of Ricky ‘Pretty’ Conlan:
“The director, Ryan Coogler, had seen me, found me through certain YouTube videos, came over to the country, got to know me and it went from there,” Bellew said. “It was a crazy phone call when it first happened, they said, ‘Do you want to be in a film with Sylvester Stallone?’ I told them to do one.
“I thought they were winding me up. Everton had just lost 6-3 to Chelsea, I wasn’t in the mood to be wound up on the phone. It was crazy. I could be a dud, I could look stupid on camera, I don’t know.
“I think the movie will be a success and a great movie, the director is great, a very intelligent boy. But it’s not for me to say, it’s for the movie critics to judge it. Ultimately I did it because I got paid.”
On the experience of working alongside boxing movie royalty Sylvester Stallone and co:
“It was crazy, strange but good at the same time, being around Hollywood stars like Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan. I’ll forever be indebted to Ryan Coogler, he’ll be a lifelong friend of mine.”
And finally, on the character he plays in the movie:
“… I play ‘Pretty’ Ricky Conlan – obviously I didn’t make that up, highly embarrassing name. I want to win a world title like in the film, obviously. As a boxer, I want to be a world champion, in the movie I am the champion. Mentally, obviously it makes me want to be that character for real, but I’ve wanted that since I turned professional.”
Will you be seeing Sylvester Stallone’s latest Rocky instalment, Creed? And will Tony Bellew’s performance be better than Antonio Tarver’s, another real life boxer who starred in Rocky Balboa (AKA Rocky 6)?
Mark Phillips is the Head Staff Writer/Assistant Editor at BoxingBase.com, and provides worldwide news, coverage and analysis – he can be reached via our Contact Page.
