Joanna Cassidy has had an incredible career with roles in movies like Blade Runner, The Package, Ghosts of Mars and many more. She stars as Rita in the new action drama Uppercut and stopped by to chat with us about it.
What was it about the script for Uppercut that made you want to sign on?
Well, I wanted to be in a guy’s film. I mean, I grew up loving Rocky. I still look at Sylvester Stallone these days and I think to myself, man, what a career that guy has had. What an incredible career and he did it all by himself. He just stuck to everything he wanted to do and he pulled it off. Plus, he did it in a state that was right next to me when I grew up in New Jersey. And he did it on the steps in Philadelphia. So I related to that need for, I guess in a way like the common man to win.
How was working with director Torsten Ruether like?
Torsten was one of the great new filmmakers that is just so relaxed and so enthusiastic and so excited by what he sees. He’s not sitting back and being a critical nightmare like some directors can be. He’s giving and he wants you to get everywhere you want to get. He wants you to get to the top of the stairs. So, it was great.
Rita’s speech towards the end was one of the best moments of the film. Was this performance inspired by anyone in real life?
Yeah, I have seen a lot of women in my life who have done battle in their lifetimes, who have come through some of the most horrific circumstances and challenges and I’ve seen their passion. Seeing someone’s passion, passion is how people win wars. It’s not by, with the fighting equipment, it’s their passion. They can be sick, they can be skinny, they can be emaciated, they can be starving. But if their passion is to win or they’re fighting for something, then they do. And I think that Rita was definitely fighting for something.
What kind of research did you do to prepare for this role of Rita?
Well, because I was in a boxing ring for a couple of years, I still have my boxing gloves. I should have them with me, but I spent a lot of time watching it take place. I was working with a lightweight champion. And besides just getting in great shape and being strong, and which I love to do, and I’ve done that all my life. I love to work out. I love it. I live for it. I got to really see the guys engage at just all their stuff. You know, when they come to the corner, how they get hurt, how they reinvent themselves, how they pull it together after they’ve been practically knocked out. How do they revive themselves? I really sat in boxing rings because I wanted to experience what these guys went through. I spent two years doing that.
How do you bring your own personality into this role?
Well, that’s easy. I’m a Leo, so I have a great deal of passion. And I have a passion for projects that are… many of them are independent films done by young directors who were starting out for the first time, young actors. I want to be with them. I want to share my wisdom and what I’ve been through and that makes me feel very good. I was prepared for this role. And the fact that Torsten was so excited to have me in it, and I’m not a young person anymore. The fact that he said, “let’s go. She’s got that thing. Let’s get her in there”. That got me very excited and very passionate. So, I gave him, I think, everything he wanted and he was very good with directing. He just was easy and encouraging. And Luise was just beautiful to work with, just beautiful. And so if I come back to do another film, another one of these, if this film goes over well, which I think it will, I’ll be very excited to see how Rita, the character of Rita is explored and revealed.
Generally, how do you connect with the character you’re portraying?
How do I connect? Well, a lot of that takes place once you get the wardrobe on. I mean, I have to say that dressing for a part kind of changes everything. So, you start to feel, if it’s a period piece, that certainly the clothes are different than today’s wardrobe. You start to embrace it that way. I come from the actor’s studio. So, a lot of work that we do in the actor’s studio is bringing forth the memorization, the seeing it, imagining it, tasting it, you know, they’re different exercises that we do. I have to say that, aside from a couple of roles in my career, which I didn’t think were really me, but I needed to take them at the time, I would say I pretty much can see myself in each one of these parts that I’ve played.
Lionsgate will release the thriller UPPERCUT in theaters, on demand and on digital on February 28, 2025.