Amazon’s recent hit film The Fire Inside has received high praise from critics and subscribers alike. Many fans of the movie have noted how captivated they were by the performance of Ryan Destiny as Claressa Shields and now many are curious to know if The Fire Inside is based on a true story or a book.
Here’s everything you need to know regarding the movie’s inspiration.
Is The Fire Inside inspired by a true story and real events?
The Fire Inside is based on a true story and tells the story of the life of record-breaking boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields. The movie focuses on the veteran athlete’s efforts to secure victory at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
However, the film only loosely follows Shields’ life, leading to several parts of the story straying away from real events. One such instance of this in the movie is the leading character’s determination to win gold at the London Olympics. In truth, Shields felt much reluctance regarding whether she wanted to come first or not, per an earlier ESPN interview with the boxer.
Despite the minor inconsistencies, The Fire Inside is a mostly accurate retelling of Claressa Shields’ true story. A major reason behind this is the sportswoman’s heavy influence on the making of the film. Shields was not only an executive producer on the film but also had an impact on the final script, as per Entertainment Weekly.
Is Claressa “T-Rex” Shields a real-life boxer?
Claressa Shields is a professional boxer and serves as the subject of the true story shown in The Fire Inside. The 29-year-old holds several world championship titles across five weight categories, including three undisputed female world titles. She won her first accolade, aged 17, at the 2012 London Olympics and became the first female American to win gold in boxing in the process. Shields repeated the feat at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which cemented her legacy in boxing for generations to come.
