'Lights Out' Actor Inspired by Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis

Filed under: Boxing Rumors, FanHouse Exclusive

On Tuesday at 10 p.m. on FX, the world will be introduced to 40-year-old, former heavyweight champion, Patrick "Lights Out" Leary -- a married, father of three who is coping with life and financial difficulties five years after having retired from the ring.

But for lead actor, Holt McCallany, the litmus test was last Wednesday's New York premiere that was attended by such boxing dignitaries as Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Gerry Cooney and Micky Ward, the latter of whom is the subject of the critically acclaimed and recently released film, The Fighter.

"That was so important to me that they liked it. I can't tell you how much it meant to me and how important it was to be embraced by the community in the way that I have been," said McCallany, who was inspired by still-active boxers such as Bernard Hopkins, 46, and Evander Holyfield, 48.

"Things like going to the doctor's office to get a brain scan -- that resonated with many of them," said McCallany. "It was absolutely critical to me that they loved the show. To have their support and their approval was really, really gratifying."

As part of his preparation, McCallany won a three-round amateur bout. While Lewis called the fight footage "authentic," Holmes went further about another scene.

"You know how there is that scene early on in the pilot where I'm with my wife in the bedroom and we're trying to have sex, but there are a lot of interruptions with the kids knocking on the door and with the phone ringing?" said McCallany. "Well, Larry said, 'Man, that's like my house. Every time me and the wife try to get it on, somebody's knocking on the door, or they're calling on the phone.'"

McCallany is culpable as Leary, he said, because he didn't try to be someone that he wasn't.

"There's no point my trying to emulate Floyd Mayweather. I'm not Floyd Mayweather and I am not going to look like Floyd Mayweather and it would be preposterous for me to make any kind of effort in that area," said McCallany.

"Maybe I'll take something from Jerry Quarry or something from Gerry Cooney or something from Jeff Harding or something from Doug DeWitt, or something from my friend John Duddy," said McCallany. "Slowly, you start to find a style that is going to compliment my physicality and be believable and compelling for the audience and the camera."

During a recent conference call, McCallany discussed his passion for the sport as well as his preparation for the role, which included having conducted weekend workouts at the famed Gleason's Gym in New York as well as the council of trainer, Teddy Atlas -- the same man the actor portrayed in 1990's Tyson, the movie about ex-champion and recent Hall of Fame inductee Mike Tyson to whom Atlas once served as an assistant trainer.

 

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Source: http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2011/01/11/lights-out-actor-inspired-by-larry-holmes-lennox-lewis/

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