Pierce Brosnan's iconography often brings to mind suave tailored suits, slicked-back hair, and that unmistakable 007 charm. However, for his latest role as boxing trainer Brendan Ingle for the biopic Giant, he looked almost unrecognizable.
The actor opened up about undergoing prosthetics for the role during an interview on The One Show. The 72-year-old revealed he spent hours in the makeup chair to transform into the character.
"There was a transformation in this. I don't look like Brendan and again when I read this text I thought, 'My God, Rowan [Athale], you’ve given me a jewel here.' And so, there were prosthetics involved for me," he shared. "It was a couple of hours. I had a bald cap and a nose."
© Sam Talor"What was it like donning the leopard print tracksuit? You did a bit of dancing in there as well," Angellica Bell asked Pierce. "Well, you know, He was a showman. Brendan was a total showman. So was Naz, and it was created out of that flamboyance, and you know you want to grab the attention of the world and they did exactly that," replied Pierce.
"But yeah…the leopard skin… I kept the leopard skin! You never know."
The upcoming biographical sports drama film, Giant, follows the relationship between legendary British-Yemeni world boxing champion Prince Naseem Hamed and his trainer. The James Bond star plays Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle in the movie, which stars Amir El-Masry (Industry, Vigil) in the role of Hamed. In a first look at the film, Pierce has swapped his signature slicked-back locks for wispy white hair and glasses.
Giant will hit screens in the UK on January 9 while the US release date has yet to be announced.
© Sam TalorHELLO!'s Digital Writer, Lucy Norris, attended the press preview screening of Giant and spoke to us about what fans can expect from the film. "Pierce looked unrecognizable in the new film and was utterly believable in his portrayal of the rough-around-the-edges character that was the legendary boxing coach, Brendan Ingle, " she shared.
© Danjaq/Eon/Ua/Kobal/Shutterstock"His performance was raw and gritty and his physical transformation was a far cry from his usual pristine and polished image. Overall, Pierce was a standout star in the movie about the life of British boxer 'Prince' Naseem Hamed and elevated the sports biopic to heights only a former Bond agent could"
According to the synopsis, the film is inspired by a "remarkable" true story and charts the "rags-to-riches underdog tale" of Hamed, from his humble beginnings in Sheffield to becoming world champion and a global sporting icon in the 1990s.
