Pierce Brosnan is known for playing the love interest in huge films like Mamma Mia and Mrs Doubtfire but nowadays he looks very different.
And he might have been in a few James Bond movies over the years. But fans would be forgiven for not recognising Pierce Brosnan as he shot his new movie on the streets of South Yorkshire this week.
The 70-year-old looked very different to his usual dapper self as he dressed down in a blue Adidas tracksuit and rocked glasses and white balding hair with a combover as he got into character for his new role. But it’s all in the name of his new movie, Giant, in which he portrays legendary Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle.
Set in Sheffield, where Ingle lived, it follows the friendship and working relationship between the late trainer, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 77, and world champion boxer ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed. Now 50, Naseem credits Ingle with his successful career and called the time they trained together as “priceless”.
Though things ultimately went bad between them, it wasn’t before Naseem was propelled to superstardom in the Nineties and early Noughties. And in 2015, he was even indicted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. As Irishman Pierce prepared to take on the role of Ingle, he looked worlds away from his usual self. Better known for wearing bespoke Armani suits in his most famous character, 007, he cut a casual figure as he shot scenes in Sheffield. But knowing photographers were watching, he still found time to joke in front of the cameras.
In one shot, the Hollywood star was seen putting his fists up in a ‘come on’ gesture as a runner sheltered him from the rain with an umbrella. Another shot showed Pierce appearing to pout at the camera, while a third saw him give a thumbs up. In between takes, the actors was also seen having hair and make-up touch-ups.
The upcoming biopic, directed by Barnsley-born Rowan Athale, follows charismatic Naseem – played by The Crown actor Amir El-Masry – from his working-class roots in Sheffield to superstardom. Ingle took Naseem under his wing when he was just seven and taught him to box, though he wasn't a professional trainer at the time.
This led to Naseem winning a string of featherweight world championship fights and becoming one of the greatest British boxers of all time. From 1998 to 2001, he reigned as champion in his category. Sylvester Stallone, famed for the Rocky film franchise, is also thought to be taking on an executive producer role.
The story will show the unorthodox training Naseem went through with Ingle in order to reach his world champion status. It will also detail the racism and Islamophobia the British Yemeni boxer had to overcome when fighting in the ring. As well as Naseem, Ingle trained three other world champions in his career – Johnny Nelson, Junior Witter and Kell Brook.
Naseem and Ingle worked together until Naseem was 25 and they are thought to have fallen out due to ego and money. By 1998, they had gone their separate ways. Reflecting on their friendship when Ingle died, Naseem: ‘I will never forget how Brendan laid the foundations for my boxing career, making me the fighter I became. Brendan brought something amazing to the sport of boxing and will be sorely missed by all who have had the pleasure of his company over the years.”
In another interview when he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, Naseem said he wished he could have made up with his former trainer. He shared: “The time I had with Brendan was amazing. It was priceless. You couldn’t put an amount of money on that. What I learnt from that gym and that environment was priceless. The only thing I really want is to sit with Brendan and apologise to him if I upset him, and to make up with Brendan.”
Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTubeand Threads
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us atwebcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct 0207 29 33033