A redhead sounds just about right for David O. Russell‘s Massachusetts-set The Fighter. Variety reports that Amy Adams has come onboard to play a gritty bartender from the state who ends up dating Mark Wahlberg‘s character, “Irish” Mickey Ward. Joining her is Melissa Leo – also another tough looking cookie if you refer to her perf in Frozen River. As of late, Adams has been working mostly on studio pics – she’ll be on screen once again with Meryl Streep in Nora Ephron‘s Julie & Julia and just completed her work on Anand Tucker‘s Leap Year.
After a couple of stalled moments, The Fighter is pressing forward with a summer shoot. This is a drama about boxer “Irish” Micky Ward’s (Wahlberg) unlikely road to the world lightweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO’d by drugs and crime. Dicky threw his gifts away on drugs and a robbery career that landed him a sentence of 10-15 years in state prison — but he kicked drugs, became a model prisoner and turned his life around. When he left jail, he became Mickey’s trainer at a time when Ward was losing fights and was ready to hang up his gloves. Together, the brothers found the spark that led to a remarkable string of victories for Ward and the world title.
Todd Lieberman, David Hoberman, Ryan Kavanaugh, Wahlberg, Paul Tamasy and Dorothy Aufiero are producing. Tucker Tooley will exec produce.
