ErstwhileBoardwalk Empirestar Jack Huston makes his debut as a feature film writer/director withDay of the Fight, a heartfelt indie drama that follows a disgraced boxer, Irish Mike (Michael C. Pitt), on the day of his big comeback bout at Madison Square Garden. Shot in New York City in glorious black and white,Day of the Fightsucceeds thanks to its tight script, which slowly peels back the layers surrounding Irish Mike, his past, and his relationships with his friends and family, and an outstanding supporting cast, including Nicolette Robinson,Ron Perlman, Steve Buscemi, John Magaro, and Joe Pesci.
WhileDay of the Fightmarks Jack Huston’s debut as a feature film writer and director, he demonstrates an outstanding command of visual language, enhanced by his heart-wrenching script. Clearly, he was paying attention during his career as an actor. While best known for his role in the first four seasons ofBoardwalk Empire, he also earned significant acclaim for his turns in projects likeAmerican Hustle, The Irishman, and FX’sFargoseries. In the near future, superhero enthusiasts can look forward to his role in theupcomingSpider-Man Noirseries, alongside Nicolas Cage.
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ScreenRantinterviewed Huston about his work onDay of the Fightand how the lead character was always written with Michael C. Pitt (Huston’sformerBoardwalk Empireco-star) in mind. He also spoke about his approach as a director, pursuing personal themes while paying homage to the films that ignited his passion for cinema in the first place, and the role of music in the film.
Jack Huston Reveals How He Cast Michael C. Pitt In Day Of The Fight
“I couldn’t imagine anybody but Michael playing Irish Mike. I mean, hence the name.”
Screen Rant:It’s nice to see you, especially after watching your movie. I mean, sometimes I watch movies and I’m like, oh, it’s nice to see you. Your movie was okay. But your movie was fantastic!
Jack Huston: Man, thank you.
I actually live in Far Rockaway, literally one minute from where you shot. I moved in literally the last day. I have one day of pictures that I took.
Jack Huston: Oh, my God! We’re outside, I know exactly where you mean, yeah. Totally. Of course. I know it very well. We spent many years there. Amazing, man. That’s awesome.
Was there ever a moment where you were going to star in this in addition to writing and directing? Or were you like, “I owe Michael Pitt a favor. He owes me a favor. Let’s get him in here.” Tell me that story.
Jack Huston: There was never a moment that it wasn’t Michael. It’s so funny, that, because obviously me and Michael became close shooting Boardwalk together, we really formed a brotherhood. He was a dear friend, post-the-show. We always stayed in contact. And I always had these memories of him punching a sandbag in between takes and then disappearing off to the boxing gym. And I don’t know whether or not the seed was planted from that. But when I did conceive the story, I couldn’t imagine anybody but Michael playing Irish Mike. I mean, hence the name.
But it’s a character that asks a lot of an actor because, you know, it’s somebody on this redemptive journey, somebody who’s done something quite terrible, which I say, what’s the worst thing you may ever do in life? And you have to find an actor who conveys such humanity, such pathos, such vulnerability on this rather hard exterior. There is a heart of gold, and that’s always Michael to me. And yeah, I didn’t want my first directorial, my debut, to have me in it. I can barely watch myself when I’m not doing any of the other stuff! I only saw Michael in the part. I heard him, you know, speak every line in my head as I was writing it. It was it was him, through and through.
Honestly, sometimes I get anxiety watching my own interviews back. I can’t imagine being a director, seeing your own dailies.
Jack Huston: You know what? There’s something about fighting for what you love and what you believe in. I think there’s maybe not enough of that right now in the business. There’s not also enough people who are willing to stand by their choices. Mavericks, people are willing to take risks. This film was a big risk. It was virtually impossible to get made, but, you know, we managed to prevail.
But I do think one’s gut is sort of all you got. Specifically, when you’re trying to make something that matters or something that makes you feel or something that will move people. I think you’ve got to go with your instincts. I learned that as an actor, and I think it served me very well as a director because the casting process is, you know, 90% of making the movie. If you don’t have the right actor for the part, you’re going to be paying attention to all the wrong things. Whereas when you do find the perfect actor, actors, I should say, because it’s actors across the board in this. You’ve just taken off a huge burden because it’s my job as a director to guide the story, you know, show my vision.
I love the idea that I’m giving this role to you and now you own it. I want you to take it. I want you to run with it. I don’t want to get in your way. I don’t want to ever say “no.” I want to let you exist within that. I’m only here as a guide. So I was very lucky with the cast I got, because everybody was very specific and chosen with their voice in mind. Some quite literally, you know, with Nicolette and Joe Pesci, both their singing voices as much as their wonderful acting talents. I always say, music is another character in this film. It’s sort of his journey. He’s never without earphones. He’s never without the score or a needle drop. And they were all written into it. So, you know, it’s very important, that.
Jack Huston Breaks Down The Visual & Audio Language Of Day Of The Fight
“Is there anything more universal that you can share with strangers than music?”
I want to talk about the music because you’ve got Magnetic Fields, Rodriguez, and Joe Pesci.So many people don’t even know about him singing in the 60s. Hearing one of those recordings in the movie at such a pivotal moment is heart-wrenching.
Jack Huston: Oh, man. So true. It does. It gets you. Music is so important. I write to music. I think film is very musical. Also, like acting. It’s like you can tell when it’s a wrong note. You can tell when you’re in harmony. You feel the flow. You feel the moves of it. I really did write to specific pieces of music that show up in the movie because they sort of are so evocative and they do bring out the flow of the dialogue of what one’s feeling, the sensations. And this whole film is about feeling.
Is there anything more universal that you may share with strangers than music? It’s like going to the theater and that shared experience of going and seeing a movie, and knowing that the person to your left and your right who you’ve never met before, they are feeling the same human emotions. It’s like hearing a song or a great drum beat or whatever that is. It’s like, when it works, you feel it and you collectively feel it.
Black and white is like vinyl in a visual medium, and it’s shot so beautifully. One of my favorite TV shows isNaked City, so seeing New York in black and white is it’s natural state.
Jack Huston: Totally, man. Absolutely. Yeah.
Tell me about shooting in black and white and was, you know, making that stylistic choice.
Jack Huston: Well, you know, it’s sort of funny, when you do come up with a film, especially something that you’ve written, and your first film… I say, you’ve got your whole life to imagine your first film and then probably a very short amount of time for your second, third, whatever it is, if you’re going to go down that [road].
But I couldn’t imagine it any other way than black and white. I think as much as the, sort of, what you just said, the vinyl, the timeless aspect of this film and when it takes place. I know it’s 1989, but we didn’t want to get into any of the tropes of modern technology. We wanted it to be a very human story, you know, a very adult story about something relatable. It’s about going and paying a visit to all these very important figures in one’s life. And I didn’t want anything to get in the way of that. And it’s funny, the grain, the depth, the sort of grit, the black and white… Sort of ensues.
What you get from it is, in my eyes, the homage to all those films that I fell in love with, and made me fall in love with cinema. And I think you’ve got to make what you love. Otherwise… You’ve got to love it first! And it’s what I was drawn to. I look at the movie and I’m so unbelievably proud of of the way it looks and of what our wonderful DP, Peter Simon, him coming on board and just us developing this rather unique look, especially in today’s world. You don’t see films like this anymore. And I think that’s a tragedy because it is the source of all inspiration for me. And I would hope this could be a bit of a source of inspiration for some other filmmakers. You know?
I mean, it’s definitely inspired me. I’m a huge fan. You know, I love there’s so much that I would love to pick your brain about, but we’re out of time. There’s so much.
Jack Huston: Oh, man. I love hearing from you, buddy! That’s so kind of you.
The father figures and the performances from Joe and from Ron and that abrasiveness that he displays, but warmth.
Jack Huston: Yes! Yes!
It’s incredible, incredible stuff that that you wrote and wrung out of those performers.
Jack Huston: I’m very lucky that I got all of those actors, and they do. You attempt to write for the actor and for the person, and then they go with it, they take it, they run with it. And that collaborative aspect of filmmaking is ever as exciting and surprising and beautiful. You know, it’s made me fall in love with film all over again, getting to work with those guys.
More About Day Of The Fight (Originally Premiered 2023)
A once-celebrated boxer is about to fight for the first time since leaving prison. To prepare, he takes a redemptive journey through the streets of Brooklyn, reconnecting with those he loves the most. While trying to right the wrongs of his past, he risks everything for the fight of his life.
Day of the Fight
Cast
Day of the Fight follows a former renowned boxer as he navigates a journey of redemption through his past and present on the day of his first fight since being released from prison.
