Academy Award winner Halle Berry is stepping into the director’s chair for the first time. Her directorial debut will be an MMA-based film titled Bruised, and she’s got Shamier Anderson (Destroyer) and Adan Canto (Designated Survivor) on board for the project. Berry herself will also star.
Michelle Rosenfarb has written the script, which follows Jackie Justice, a washed-up MMA wrestler who has failed at the one thing she’s ever been good at – fighting.
When 6-year-old Manny, the son she walked out on years ago, returns on her doorstep, Jackie is forced to conquer her own demons and fight to become the mother this kid deserves, all while preparing to face one of the fiercest rising stars of the MMA world.
Berry is working with the team that does the fight choreography on the John Wick franchise. Anderson will play the owner of the female mixed martial arts league that Jackie participates in. Canto plays Berry’s MMA manager and boyfriend.
Anderson has played twins opposite Billy Bob Thornton on the Amazon series Goliath and recently wrapped filming on both the Netflix movie Awake opposite Gina Rodriguez, and Stowaway with Anna Kendrick and Toni Colette. Canto has had roles on Netflix’s Narcos and X-Men: Days Of Future Past. He recently wrote, directed and produced his first short titled The Shot.
Berry was the first (and sadly, currently only) black woman to ever win Best Actress at the Oscars, winning for her performance in 2001’s Monster’s Ball. Not only could Bruised be a potential step back into the limelight as an actor, but also as a director, and it’ll be interesting to see Berry in such a physical role. She’s also on board to star in a remake of the 1985 thriller, Jagged Edge.
Production on Bruised is already underway.
#Peace.Love.Bruised
