Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
In 2005, Russell Crowe played a boxer with a bitter rival. His co-star said the tension became real
Russell Crowe and Craig Bierko’s strained relationship during the making of *Cinderella Man* helped create the sense of hostility between their rival boxers. Crowe, playing James J. Braddock, reportedly kept Bierko at a distance to make their on-screen rivalry feel authentic.
The 2005 film follows Braddock’s efforts to support his family during the Great Depression, when boxing offered a chance to escape poverty. Bierko, who played Max Baer, said he was excluded from Crowe’s 40th birthday party during filming in Toronto, but accepted the distance as part of Crowe’s approach and stayed focused on supporting the performance.
In short
- Crowe and Bierko’s real-life tension fed their boxing rivalry.
- Bierko was left out of Crowe’s birthday party.
- Bierko said he remained focused on supporting the film.
Explained simply
Cinderella Man is a 2005 film about James J. Braddock, a real American boxer who returned to the ring during the Great Depression. The 1930s economic crisis left many people without work or money, and boxing offered Braddock a chance to support his family.
Russell Crowe played Braddock, while Craig Bierko played his opponent Max Baer. Their characters’ rivalry is part of the film’s account of Braddock’s comeback and the risks fighters faced in the ring.