Overview

• Johnson said the film is not a fight movie but a life movie, emphasizing themes of pressure, pain, and addiction.
• The Los Angeles premiere took place at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills with Mark Kerr and his ex-wife in attendance.
• Emily Blunt prepared for her portrayal of Dawn Staples-Kerr with direct input from the real Dawn, which she said shaped her performance.
• Writer-director Benny Safdie, who began developing the script with Johnson in 2023, said he was drawn to Kerr’s rare mix of dominance and introspection.
• Kerr praised the production’s authenticity and lauded Johnson and Blunt for their detailed, empathetic approaches, as the film plays in theaters now.