U.S. podcaster Joe Rogan goes some rounds with Aussie-Kiwi actor Russell Crowe, with this clip above focusing on Crowe’s movie role as boxer James J. Braddock in the 2005 sports biopic Cinderella Man.
For those who don’t know, the real Braddock was a Depression-era boxer whose unlikely rise to the heavyweight championship made him a symbol of grit and hope during America’s darkest economic hour.
In their podcast chat, Crowe tells Rogan that he did six months of intense boxing training to get into shape and character for the film. The then 40-year-old did so much physical work that he said he ended up weighing the same as he had when he left high school.
During his conversation with Rojan, Crowe also said a lot of the fights in the film were pretty much for real, with strikes being landed and punches felt. Today, he says he also has ongoing issues with injuries linked to his role. There are many other interesting things that happened during filming, so it’s worth watching.
Press the top left play button on the above feature image to watch the 13-minute segment from the podcast about Crowe’s experience during Cinderella Man.
As portrayed in the film, Braddock was more than just a boxer—he was a husband, father, and a man desperate to provide for his family.
The film follows his fall from a promising boxing career to the brink of poverty, followed by an improbable comeback that stunned the sports world in 1935 when he defeated the heavily favored Max Baer.
The film frames Braddock’s fights as not just sporting events, but as life-or-death struggles where every punch carries the weight of feeding his children.
As for the man the movie is based on, James J. Braddock, he was far from a typical sports hero. Born in 1905 in New York, Braddock’s career began with promise but was derailed by injuries and the Great Depression. He took odd jobs on the docks to support his family and, at times, relied on government assistance. His eventual return to the ring, culminating in the stunning upset against Baer, earned him the nickname The Cinderella Man, coined by journalist Damon Runyon.
Cinderella Man also stars Renée Zellweger as Braddock’s wife, Mae Braddock, Paul Giamatti as his manager, Joe Gould, and Craig Bierko as heavyweight champion Baer.
Cinderella Man also reunited Crowe with director Ron Howard for the first time since their Oscar-winning triumph A Beautiful Mind.
