Jonathan Majors’ Training Challenges on ‘Creed III’: ‘There Were Days I Couldn’t Feel My Arms’
In February of this year, viewers saw Jonathan Majors take on the villain role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Later, he again appeared on the big screen as the antagonist in the newest Creed installment. His role in the movie is a rival boxer who competes against the main character.
Majors’ character is a formidable opponent, especially since he looks like a bodybuilder. During production, the actor worked hard to get ready for the role. His training left him with numb limbs occasionally.
Jonathan Majors stars in ‘Creed III’
Creed III came out in theaters recently, and it stars a few well-known names. One of the cast members is Majors, who plays Damian or “Diamond Dame” in the movie. Damian is Donnie’s childhood friend who reunites with him suddenly after many years.
Damian wants to continue his professional boxing career, which later puts him at odds with Donnie. The former displays an aggressive fighting style that contrasts with the protagonist’s strategy of timing and focus. Damian also brings back some trauma from Donnie’s past and strains their relationship.
However, the two reconcile after Donnie defeats Damian in the movie’s final match. The ending may give the viewer a feeling that the series could end as a trilogy. Other sequels could follow since Michael B. Jordan believes his character has more stories to tell.
Jonathan Majors’ training was so hard it left him numb
Since Creed III is a boxing film, the role was quite physical for Majors. He underwent a strict training regiment to prepare for filming the fight scenes. In a podcast interview with NPR, Majors discusses his experience with becoming Damian.
“There’s gradations to it, of course. This is cinema, so I’m going for the cinematic. That takes work. There are, you know, 2 o’clock workout sessions where you’re just crying on the floor because your abs just feel like they just stop working,” Majors explains. “There are days that I couldn’t feel my arms.”
At times, Majors could not feel anything and threw punches the best he could. Despite the struggle, he did not want to quit. He did not view his efforts as wasteful since it was for his character and the movie. The actor described the process as a “physical, spiritual, and emotional transformation.”
The critical response to Creed III
The reception for Creed III has been overwhelmingly positive, with high ratings from critics and audiences. According to ScreenRant, the film has the second-highest score in the trilogy. Many reviews praise Jordan’s directing abilities and performance in front of the camera.
The sequel marks the first time Jordan has been in the director’s chair. Of course, his style of filmmaking is not the only aspect of the movie that led to positive reviews. People also have praised Majors’ performance as the antagonist.
While his character is a rival, Majors can draw sympathy from viewers. He is able to stand out as the villain, and some critics believe the actor “steals the show.” In combination with Jordan’s directing, Majors succeeds in delivering emotional moments.
