The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth is set to star as legendary SA boxer Gerrie Coetzee in an upcoming Hollywood film that will be released later this year.
The former champion boxer confirmed in an interview on Jacaranda FM on Monday that Liam will play him in a biopic, scheduled to start filming in August.
“Yes, that's correct,” said Coetzee, confirming the news about Liam set to portray him.
“They're meant to be coming over in August to start shooting the movie, but it depends on the Covid-19 you know,” he said. “If there's still hotspots in SA and people can get sick, they might postpone it to a later date.”
According to Coetzee, Charlize Theron was asked to play his wife Rina but she was out of the film's budget — wanting $15m for the role.
Coetzee was the first African boxer to fight and win a world heavyweight championship in 1983.
Coetzee has always been hugely popular in America. In 2017, he was honoured with the Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards in Los Angeles, Sowetan reported.
Quoted in the publication, Coetzee's promoter Thinus Strydom, of World Sports Promotion, said American film company, Fontabila Productions, will pay for the project.
“The producers expect to premiere the film in December. Let's just hope that the lockdown will be over [by that time]. The production will continue in Washington and at the Richfield Coliseum in Ohio.”
Hemsworth is currently isolating at his home on Phillip Island, Australia.
The Daily Mail reported that he and his brother Chris have joined Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi to read children's books on Zoom for charity, raising money for Partners in Health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
'The Hunger Games' star Liam Hemsworth to play SA boxing icon in upcoming film
Image: ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP
The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth is set to star as legendary SA boxer Gerrie Coetzee in an upcoming Hollywood film that will be released later this year.
The former champion boxer confirmed in an interview on Jacaranda FM on Monday that Liam will play him in a biopic, scheduled to start filming in August.
“Yes, that's correct,” said Coetzee, confirming the news about Liam set to portray him.
“They're meant to be coming over in August to start shooting the movie, but it depends on the Covid-19 you know,” he said. “If there's still hotspots in SA and people can get sick, they might postpone it to a later date.”
According to Coetzee, Charlize Theron was asked to play his wife Rina but she was out of the film's budget — wanting $15m for the role.
Coetzee was the first African boxer to fight and win a world heavyweight championship in 1983.
Coetzee has always been hugely popular in America. In 2017, he was honoured with the Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards in Los Angeles, Sowetan reported.
Quoted in the publication, Coetzee's promoter Thinus Strydom, of World Sports Promotion, said American film company, Fontabila Productions, will pay for the project.
“The producers expect to premiere the film in December. Let's just hope that the lockdown will be over [by that time]. The production will continue in Washington and at the Richfield Coliseum in Ohio.”
Hemsworth is currently isolating at his home on Phillip Island, Australia.
The Daily Mail reported that he and his brother Chris have joined Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi to read children's books on Zoom for charity, raising money for Partners in Health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Latest Videos
Most Read
Leisure
Lifestyle
Leisure
Leisure
Leisure