Tag Archives: fighter

Gina Carano – more at ActionFest 2012, also featuring Cung Le & JJ Perry (*updated 4-20-12)

Chick Norris Award winner Gina Carano, speaks about authenticity in action films & more: – in a ReelzChannel video (Reelz.com) – in an interview with The Action Flick Chick -MTV (MTV.com, ActionFlickChick.com) – with JJ Perry & Cung Le, giving ten ways to make better action films (Movies.com) Then, Fight Director of the Year JJ Perry, expounds on his craft, as well as past & current projects. (ActionFest.com, Craveonline.com) Let’s begin with how you became an MMA fighter. I was just kind of going to college because that was what everybody around me told me to do. I didn’t have any passion and trying to find myself. I was dating a guy at the time who loved Bruce Lee. One night we were all hanging out drinking 40s, and he was like, “You know what? I’m gonna be done with this life. I’m gonna lose you if I don’t improve my life.” So he went the next day to Master Toddy’s Muay Thai. I would go and watch him. Finally, the Thai master to me, “Oh baby, you need to lose weight. You fat.” And I was like, “Oh God, like, okay.” I signed up for lessons with him, and five months later I found myself in San Francisco in a little tiny gym, kind of like a “Fight Club”-type of scenario. And I was fighting. Ever since I did that, I was just kind of addicted to it. Do you have go-to badass move? I was in a fight in high school, and I overhand-righted this girl because she started attacking me at a basketball game. My first ever fight! I’ve had professional fighters come up to me and ask me about my overhand-right. It just came so naturally. (…continued) (credit jr)

Interview & pics: Gina Carano further in depth on next movie, Wonder Woman, female action stars and more

FilmSchoolRejects.com spoke with Gina Carano, the recipient and inspiration for The Chick Norris Best Female Action Star Award, at ActionFest 2012. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us. Not a problem. Film School Rejects, that’s an incredible name. Thank you very much, we do the best we can. That’s kind of how we operate, we appreciate films as if we went to film school and yet all managed to get kicked out before graduation. I like that. I wanted to talk to you a little bit about making the transition from MMA to film. Specifically, did you find it difficult to work within scripted fight sequences after coming from something as visceral and in the moment as mixed martial arts? Actually I found it, in a way, enlightening and freeing. It allowed me to do what I love to do without worrying about having to have a fight at the end of those two months of training. Instead it was more like choreography for a dance, but still letting me do what I love, and that was a ton of fun for me. It was a way for me to explore my passion without getting hurt or having to hurt someone else. It was beautiful actually. When you’re fighting in gyms, you have to spar all the time. Sometimes you’re better than your sparring partner, sometimes you’re worse, but you have to use a certain amount of control. I took that same mentality, “I’m not trying to hurt this person, I’m trying to work with this person.” It was an easy transition actually.   (continued …) (credit: swinjen, M1, & EoinA)

Interviews – Gina Carano on her status, Haywire, her next movie, new stunt training, & more

  CraveOnline & Movies.com spoke with Gina Carano on: Haywire, her status, new movie ‘In The Blood’ and more. Congratulations on your ActionFest award. Thank you, thank you. It’s really cool that they finally have an award like that that they’re giving out and I’m really looking forward to seeing the women after me get it. What highlights from your fights do you hope they show in the clip reel? You know what, I’ve never actually been to one of these award things, so they’re going to show a clip real? I’m fine with whatever. They can show anything. I’m really proud to have come from MMA and to be a part of that. I think it’s an amazing sport and they’re such wonderful people and such wonderful females that are part of it too, so it’s really kind of an honor to represent my sport in that way. It’s really kind of awesome also for me to represent stunts because I think those people put out such wonderful, beautiful fight scenes that we get to enjoy all the time and they actually put their lives on the line a lot of the time too and it’s really nice to be a part of an event that really shows people that side to it and honors people that are part of the stunts and all that. Have you gotten new fans from movies? Yeah, I think so. I’ve been actually surprised. A lot of people enjoyed the film Haywire and a lot of people have mixed feelings on it but regardless, a lot of people have said really wonderful things about it being my first experience, that the fighting they absolutely enjoyed. So I think I’ve gotten a lot more fans actually. I’m so surprised. I’m really surprised how many people knew me as Gina Carano. MMA has a beautiful fan base.    (continued) (credit: EoinA)

Gina Carano at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation Oscar party

Click here for Video. Donate to the cause by clicking the logo below.     credit: LARA & Getty Images  

Vote for Gina Carano on “Maxim’s Hot 100″ list of 2012

Let’s get Gina beyond her past score of #16 on this year’s list! Click the pic below to vote. . credit: pedro & poleaxed

Interview: Bullett Magazine – Gina Carano: A Knockout Both In and Out of the Ring

Bullet Magazine’s interview with Gina Carano for the winter 2011 issue: The mixed martial arts champion is a literal knockout who wields her body like a weapon in the cage. Why, then, has Gina Carano stepped outside the ring for her acting debut, as a vengeful covert agent in Steven Soderbergh’s action-thriller Haywire (an explosive cross between La Femme Nikita and The Bourne Identity)? Two words: adrenaline rush. BULLETT: What convinced you to give acting a shot? GINA CARANO: When I was a little girl, I used to think, If somebody only knew what I was capable of. I didn’t even know what it was at the time, but when you dream big, you eventually attract big things. I don’t look “Hollywood,” and so I figured that if something were to come to me, it would probably come from a director asking me to be a part of their project. And that’s exactly what happened, which is really crazy. [Laughs.] You did all of your own stunts for Haywire. Do you think that forced your co-stars—Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, and Channing Tatum—to consider you in a different light?… (credit: sstorm10)   CLICK BELOW TO CONTINUE…

AFI Festival ‘Haywire’ screening and star panel: videos, pics and reviews

The AFI fest’s secret screening took place yesterday and the film was none other than ‘Haywire’. It’s star, new action heroine Gina Carano, director Steven Soderbergh, noted actors Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender were the special guests on hand. “…A handsome, black-haired hardbody who wears an evening dress as easily as she does a hoodie, Carano exudes the sort of self-confidence and physical wherewithal that leaves no doubt she can prevail in any situation…In this, Haywire entirely and winningly succeeds…The script makes no attempt to assert its plausibility or realism; it is, instead, refreshingly frank about what it is, a simple, workable framework for the melees and mayhem…The fine use of locations, elegantly mobile shooting style and hair-trigger editing are all in line with what one expects from Soderbergh…The director shrewdly determined what she could and perhaps couldn’t do, and she delivered with a turn that makes other actresses who have attempted such roles, no matter how toned and buff they became, look like pretenders.” – Todd McCarthy (HollywoodReporter.com)                        (credit: JChap2, Lara, GGB, O_O, & swinjen) CLICK BELOW FOR:  VIDEO PART 2, MORE PICS & REVIEWS…

Gina Carano named one of Esquire Magazine’s 15 hottest

Gina Carano joins the likes of Beyonce, Emma Stone, sportswomen – Hope Solo, Victoria Azarenka and more in Esquire magazine’s list.          . credit: yourmuse

Soderbergh interview: confirms 04/22/11 release date & other film notes

According to director Steven Soderbergh, Gina Carano’s feature film debut ‘Haywire’ is opening in theaters on April 22, 2011. The confirmation and other notes about the film were revealed when the acclaimed director made a recent guest appearance on a podcast hosted by NFL analyst Rich Eisen, who had great praise for the film. Soderbergh: -”She (Gina Carano) was fantastic… really great.” -”We’ve gone back and done a little more work (editing) since June.” -”There were a couple of people (actors) that were not comfortable being beat by a woman.. (Eisen then affirms the action) there’s a hotel suite scene… that was alot of fun.” @ 01:36:42 – http://richeisen.nfl.com/2011/01/05/wildcard-podcast-sir-charles-barkley-urban-meyer-steven-soderbergh/ -source: The Playlist -editor’s note this article orignally posted 01/08/11 –  updated credit: JChap & Sarah  

Co-Star quote: Michael Douglas on Gina Carano’s action scenes in Haywire

Michael Douglas recently reunited with Traffic director Steven Soderbergh for Haywire, an action film in which he plays a CIA agent alongside real-life martial arts fighter Gina Carano. “It’s a little scary when you’re doing a scene with her,” he says. “My God, the fight scenes are … she beats the sh*t out of these guys. It’s like the real thing.”   source: News.Scotsman.com  (credit: Kej21) The venerable actor supports the Stand Up 2 Cancer organization as he is currently undergoing treatment for stage 4 throat cancer. We send our hope for all the ‘fighters’ of this disease.   Stand Up To Cancer is a new initiative created to accelerate groundbreaking cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C‘s goal is to bring together the best and the brightest in the cancer community, encouraging collaboration instead of competition. By galvanizing the entertainment industry, SU2C creates awareness and builds broad public support for this effort. Click logo to donate. 100% of donations fund the research.