The Canadian actress on Southpaw, True Detective season 2, Doctor Strange and more…
The following interview contains spoilers forSouthpaw.
Rachel McAdams has had one of the most diverse careers of any modern actress.
InSouthpaw, McAdams plays Maureen Hope, wife of light heavyweight champion boxer Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal).
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What drew you toSouthpaw?
Rachel McAdams: I was really drawn to the boxing.
I was drawn to that.
He wanted to explore that deeply.
That combination was really appealing.
Did you talk to any boxers wives?
Theres not a lot out there about the wives or the families of boxers.
Its usually more focused on the boxers themselves.
I gained an incredible respect for it.
It was a great challenge and I loved it.
I still do it to this day.
Its such a great workout.
Its just so incredibly difficult.
I dont know how Jake got as proficient as he got in three months.
Hes a wildly talented guy, but it just doesnt happen overnight.
Were you caught off guard with his transformation?
It caught me off guard for a moment.
It was so impressive.
He was giving it everything he had every day.
I didnt know how long he could last.
I still dont know how he did it.
I still marvel at it.
In the fight scenes, youre actually watching him get hit.
Can you talk about getting into those scenes?
He didnt get hit very much.
It was rare that they missed a punch which he said was harder because hes hyper-extending and not hitting.
That was almost harder on the body than if he had made contact.
We saw Cotto-Martinez at MadisonSquareGarden as part of the preparation and I reacted very differently than Maureen would have.
Its interesting to get into that part where she doesnt flinch.
Well, shes flinching a little bit because hes not fighting the fight he normally fights.
Hes taking too many punches.
You see a different Maureen.
I think normally shes got a pretty tough skin.
Shes been watching him fight for 20 years.
She knows her way around a boxing gym for sure.
It was fun to play that toughness.
You have to have a thick skin to be married to a boxer.
Shes the business person of the family.
She calls a lot of the shots.
He fights and she works with the manager/promoter (Curtis 50 Cent Jackson) to pick the fights.
Yeah, theres definitely some.
Some women are more involved and some are a real team effort like it is with Maureen and Billy.
I think Maureen doesnt trust anybody with her husband, even his closest friends.
She knows when theres that much money involved, shes looking over her shoulder all the time.
She grew up that way.
Shes feisty and didnt have anyone protecting her or Billy.
She makes it her business and I think that she loves it.
But, I think that something about the boxing brings them together.
I think she finds it kind of hot.
He literally goes out and fights for his family and fights to provide for them.
Theres something very primal about that.
How was it working with 50 Cent?
Hes such a sweetheart.
This is actually the second time Ive worked with 50, which is surreal.
Hes a lovely actor.
He was recording while we were working.
It was great to watch him bring both of his worlds together.
I think hes getting involved in boxing too.
We would talk boxing a lot.
He had a good understanding of the world and he was a great resource as well.
I think hes great in the movie.
He does a great job and hes very believable.
He doesnt play a straight ahead villain.
Yeah, I was shocked when it happened.
I didnt know it was coming when I read it.
The marketing seems to be tipping the fact that you do die.
Interesting marketing…
That was a hell of a shoot-out onTrue Detectiverecently, can you tell us about that?
That was exciting to shoot.
It was a real thrill ride.
That took a little bit longer than the shooting in this movie that only took seven hours.
But, dying for seven hours is long!
You have to turn the noise off a little bit.
Fortunately, Im not really on social media.
Ive been able to live in a bit of a black hole.
I kept that in mind.
Its almost like pressing the reset button.
Was it out of your comfort level?
I loved playing her.
It was weirdly comfortable, but weirdly different for me, for sure.
But so creatively stimulating and satisfying.
Characters like that dont come along every day.
You dont see women like that very often, which is unfortunate.
I feel blessed I got to play her.
Could you talk a little bit about the reports about you possibly getting involved with Marvel onDoctor Strange?
I dont have much to say about it right now.
Theres not really anything to comment on.
But, if there is, Ill let you know.
