This Christmas, the inspiring story of 2x Olympic Gold Medalist and boxing legend Claressa Shields comes to life in the film The Fire Inside, with actress Ryan Destiny portraying the groundbreaking athlete. The film tells the inspirational true story of Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Directed by Rachel Morrison with her directorial debut and penned by Academy-award winner Barry Jenkins, the film chronicles Shields’ remarkable rise from a challenging childhood in Flint, Michigan, to becoming a two-time Olympic gold medalist. It highlights her struggles, triumphs, and the resilience that defines her.

In this exclusive MadameNoire interview, Shields discussed the emotional experience of seeing her life on screen, the importance of accurately portraying her journey, and the powerful message she hopes audiences take away from the film.

MadameNoire: How did it feel to see your life story translated on the big screen? What was the most surreal moment for you while watching it?

Claressa Shields, Actress Ryan Destiny, and Director Rachel Morrison (Source: Photos provided by Amazon / Amazon)

Claressa Shields: It was a strange yet powerful experience to see someone portray my life and real-life scenarios. The film covers my journey from age 11 to about 20, and to see it all condensed into an hour and 45 minutes was overwhelming. I kept thinking, “Wow, all this happened in my 29 years.” Watching it felt like reliving those moments, but through someone else’s eyes.

I loved how Ryan Destiny portrayed me, how Barry Jenkins wrote the story, and how Rachel Morrison directed it. The film captured my story accurately. As a female boxer, I’ve often been misunderstood—labeled as the “angry Black woman” or having misguided motivations, like wanting to fight men because of past trauma. That narrative was never true. This film corrects those misconceptions, showing that women in sports are passionate and driven too. I want to yell and scream and jump on the ropes too. I’m happy about (my) hard work being put in. So with that, seeing that passion on screen was very surreal, and I was stuck. I just couldn’t believe how well Ryan portrayed me. Every time I looked at her, I’d ask myself, ‘How did you do that?’

(L-R) Actress/singer Ryan Destiny, pro-boxer Claressa Shields, Jason Crutchfield and actor Brian Tyree Henry attend the Los Angeles premiere of Amazon MGM Studios’ “The Fire Inside” at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in Los Angeles, California, on December 4, 2024. Source: LISA O’CONNOR / Getty

MadameNoire: What aspects of your journey were most important for you to have accurately portrayed in the film?

One important aspect was my upbringing. While the film touches on my trauma, such as being molested, it doesn’t go into graphic detail, which I appreciated. I was actually raped at the age of five, but I didn’t want the audience to feel pity for me—I’m a victor, not a victim. I made it clear that any mention of my trauma had to be handled tastefully. I liked how the film subtly showed my distrust of men, like the scene where the coach hugs me, and I jumped back, like, ‘I don’t like men’, and touching me scared me at that point. I didn’t really trust men at that time.

Another important portrayal was my relationship with my mother. Often, when a child is harmed, people blame the parents. For years, I blamed my mom until we had a conversation where I understood she didn’t know about the abuse and would have protected me if she had. I wanted the film to show my mom truthfully— as an [imperfect parent]. She tried her best, and our relationship evolved over time.

Claressa Shields (R) punches Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (L) during the WBO and WBC Light Heavyweight Championship bout at Little Caesars Arena on July 27, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Source: Terrell Groggins / Getty

Ryan (Destiny) called me about a scene with my mom, asking about our relationship. I told her honestly that I didn’t like my mom when I was younger; we didn’t really connect until I was about 16 or 17. Now, we’re very close. Winning the Olympics in 2012 seemed to help heal her too. She struggled with alcohol abuse, but after my win, she stopped drinking for years. That victory was a turning point for both of us, and I wanted the film to capture our journey of growth and healing.

MadameNoire: What do you hope people take away from this film?

I want people to feel inspired and believe they can achieve anything they set their minds to. The film shows that when you work hard and truly believe in yourself, failure becomes unlikely. We all have dreams, and the world has something to offer each of us. Sometimes, we hold ourselves back by doubting what’s possible.

I tell people to go for it and be confident. I remember being a 13-year-old girl going to school with a black eye from boxing, telling everyone I would go to the Olympics. They thought I was crazy, but I believed in my dream. I worked hard, manifested it, and never gave up. I hope viewers walk away with that same fire inside them, ready to pursue their own dreams.

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The post Claressa Shields On Her Journey From Olympic Gold Boxer To Hollywood: ‘I’ve Been Labeled The Angry Black Woman’ [Exclusive] appeared first on MadameNoire.