“It’s a really great story and has great people as part of it.
Normally you think people will want these bigger names, and that wasn’t me.
I was doubting myself.
Ryan Destiny in ‘The Fire Inside’.Sabrina Lantos/Amazon MGM Studio
Morrison, for her part, knew Destiny would pack the punch.
Ryan came into her audition swinging and literally knocked my jaw to the floor, the director tells EW.
She brought so much humanity and grit and emotion to her performance that she made herself undeniable.
Claressa Shields and Ryan Destiny at a Nov. 2024 screening of ‘The Fire Inside’ in Flint, Mich.Scott Legato/Getty
Below, a conversation with Destiny and Shields, who fought to bring her real story to screen.
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CLARESSA SHIELDS:I knew that it would happen, I just didnt know it would happen so soon.
Brian Tyree Henry and Ryan Destiny in ‘The Fire Inside’.Sabrina Lantos/Amazon MGM Studio
Do you guys really know my story?
So I was like, for the movie, it can’t have the same ending.
Along with pushing for that ending, what creative input did you have as executive producer?
Ryan Destiny and director Rachel Morrison on the set of ‘The Fire Inside’.Sabrina Lantos/Amazon MGM Studio
SHIELDS:I had a lot of input.
Before Barry wrote the script, we met in person and talked for almost five hours.
There was so much strength and resilience.
Ryan Destiny (right) in ‘The Fire Inside’.Sabrina Lantos/Amazon MGM Studio
When she was doing certain scenes, it didn’t really give you the emotions.
When you see the film, you see that it did change over time.
I did not have one of the best upbringings.
Ryan Destiny in ‘The Fire Inside’.Sabrina Lantos/Amazon MGM Studio
Those are sensitive parts, and she wanted to get em right.
She just took it and did her best with it.
Ryan did a great job.
I cry every time I watch the movie.
Ryan, what did the 10-month boxing training look like?
RYAN DESTINY:I was splitting my time between weight training and boxing training, which was really tiring.
Initially, I had to meet with the boxing trainer, [who] worked withMichael B. JordanonCreed.
Rachel obviously has a relationship with Michael, and he knew about the project.
And then the pandemic got in the way of a lot of things.
It was a little up and down.
I was definitely going through it.
It was a completely new world for me.
I looked at so many videos of Claressa on YouTube, and her documentary was really, really helpful.
Were there any other challenges beyond the physical training?
DESTINY:It was the emotional and mental just as much as the physical.
I think [her] mindset is very different from a lot of people.
So I’m like, how can I do this?
I’m really going to have to put it on.
Claressa, were you on set to offer Ryan pointers in the ring?
SHIELDS:We always kept missing each other.
If she was in Flint, I was just flying out of Flint.
But we had each others numbers.
I was really vocal with Rachel and Barry, like, “This is not a Rocky movie.
This is a real-life story.”
I’m resilient and inspirational, and I need her to embody that inside and outside the ring.
I was a little worried because she’s tiny, she’s very pretty.
I’m like, has she ever even been into a real street fight or anything?
She really had me worried.
But you could tell she worked very hard.
How do you look back at the period now?
I was going to school and training multiple times a day, running to the gym.
All I cared about was the gym.
I think God’s timing is the best timing.
Did I have to go through feeling left out?
But theyre doing photoshoots.
And I was like, dang, how do I be a part of this conversation?
I felt like my gold medal weighed less than theirs.
But it was difficult living in it.
I think thats why I cry throughout the movie.
Have you watched the movie with your family yet?
Any anxieties given some of the sensitive scenes?
What about you Ryan, have you watched?
SHIELDS:I have watched it with my former boxing coach, Jason Crutchfield, and his family.
I’ll be watching it with my family sometime in November.
I think everybody will be happy.
DESTINY:I saw it last year when it wasnt completely done.
My first time seeing it in full was at the Toronto Film Festival.
It was cool because I was also watching it a little differently.
The first time you’re watching it, you’re like, what did I mess up on?
What could I have done better?
So the second time, I just watched it for what it was.
I tried to take myself out of it as much as possible.
I was really proud of Claressa in that moment too, seeing everything she accomplished.
It just really hit me.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
