Ali (2001)

***Ali*** is a 2001 American biographical sports drama film co-written, produced and directed by Michael Mann. The film focuses on ten years in the life of the boxer Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith, from 1964 to 1974, featuring his capture of the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston, his conversion to Islam, criticism of the Vietnam War, and banishment from boxing, his return to fight Joe Frazier in 1971, and, finally, his reclaiming the title from George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle fight of 1974. It also touches on the great social and political upheaval in the United States following the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

The project began in 1992 when producer Paul Ardaji optioned the movie rights to Muhammad Ali’s life story. In 1992, Ardaji had visited Ali on his 50th birthday and persuaded him to allow a film to be made about his life. Nearing the end of his option period, Ardaji signed a contract with Sony Pictures, joining forces with producer Jon Peters as producing partner. In February 2000, it was announced that Mann had taken over as a director, following his Academy Award nomination for *The Insider*. Filming began in Los Angeles on January 11, 2001 on a $105 million budget, shooting took place in New York City, Chicago, Miami and Mozambique.

The film was well received by critics, but was a box-office bomb. Will Smith and Jon Voight received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

## Shooting

* Filming was from January 11th, 2001 - May 27th, 2001.

## Cast

* Will Smith - Cassius Clay Jr. / Muhammad Ali
* Jamie Foxx - Drew 'Bundini' Brown
* Jon Voight - Howard Cosell
* Mario Van Peebles - Malcolm X
* Ron Silver - Angelo Dundee
* Jeffrey Wright - Howard Bingham
* Mykelti Williamson - Don King
* Jada Pinkett Smith - Sonji Roi
* Nona Gaye - Belinda Ali
* Michael Michele - Veronica Porche
* Joe Morton - Chauncey Eskridge
* Paul Rodriguez - Dr. Ferdie Pacheco
* Bruce McGill - Bradley
* Barry Shabaka Henley - Herbert Muhammad
* Giancarlo Esposito - Cassius Clay Sr.
* Laurence Mason - Luis Sarria
* LeVar Burton - Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
* Albert Hall - Elijah Muhammad
* David Cubitt - Robert Lipsyte
* Ted Levine - Joe Smiley
* Candy Ann Brown - Odessa (as Candy Brown Houston)
* David Elliott - Sam Cooke
* Shari Watson - Woman Singer
* Malick Bowens - Joseph Mobutu
* Michael Bentt - Sonny Liston
* James Toney - 'Smokin' Joe Frazier (as James N. Toney)
* Alfred Cole - Ernie Terrell
* Charles Shufford - George Foreman
* Rufus Dorsey - Floyd Paterson
* Robert Sale - Jerry Quarry
* Damien 'Bolo' Wills - Ken Norton
* David Haines - Rudy Clay / Rahaman Ali
* Victoria Dillard - Betty Shabazz
* Brad Greenquist - Marlin Thomas
* Morgana Van Peebles - Malcolm X's Daughter
* Maya Van Peebles - Malcolm X's Daughter
* Maestro Harrell - Young Cassius Clay Jr.
* William Utay - The Doctor
* Kim Robillard - Jimmy Cannon
* David Purdham - Madison Square Garden Announcer
* Gailard Sartain - Gordon Davidson
* Wade Williams - Lieutenant Jerome Claridge (as Wade Andrew Williams)
* Guy Van Swearingen - Induction FBI Man
* Doug Hale - Judge Ingraham
* LaDonna Tittle - Bundini's Landlady
* Marc Grapey - Bob Arum
* Herb Mitchell - Boxing Commissioner
* Eddie Bo Smith Jr. - Malcolm's Bodyguard
* Bobby Stuart - Thomas 15X Johnson (as Bob Stuart)
* Patrick New - Room Service Guy
* Ron O.J. Parson - Death Newsman
* Ellis Williams - Family Photo Man (as Ellis E. Williams)
* Alexandra Bokyun Chun - Asian Cosmetologist (as Bokyun Chun)
* John Gleeson Connolly - Assistant Director (as John G. Connolly)
* Warner Saunders - Customer
* Jack Reiss - Referee Arthur Mercante
* Marty Denkin - Frazier Fight II Announcer
* Tamara Lynch - Flight Attendant
* Chico Benymon - Hampton House Announcer (as Theron Benymon)
* Bill Plaschke - Miami Weigh-In Reporter
* Steve Springer - Miami Weigh-In Reporter
* Patrick M. Connolly - Announcer
* Patrick C. Russell - Referee
* Robert Byrd - Willie Reddick
* Cedric Wills - Jersey Joe Walcott, Referee
* Ronald A. DiNicola - Prosecutor
* Moses Hollins - Man of Train
* Daniel E. Gurevitz - Boxing Commission Reporter
* Steven Randazzo - Reporter
* Ray Bokhour - Reporter
* Leonard Termo - Madison Square Garden Reporter
* Johnny Ortiz - Madison Square Garden Reporter
* Mark Salem - New York Reporter
* Sheldon Fogel - New York Reporter
* Jim Gray - New York Reporter
* Melvin Thomas - Harlem Neighbor
* Natalie Carter - Harlem Neighbor
* Reginald Footman - Harlem Neighbor (as Reginald Barshem Footman)
* Poe Poe - Harlem Reporter
* Mel Dick - Louisville Sponsoring Group
* Kim Coleman - Lana Shabazz (as Kim Taylor Coleman)
* Christian Stolte - Miami Cop
* Vic Manni - Dressing Room Weigh-In Guy (as Victor Manni)
* Will Gill Jr. - Dick Sadler
* Sylvaine Strike - ORTF Interviewer
* Denis Luposo - Kinshasa Reporter (as Dr. Denis Luposo)
* Sharon Wilkinson - Rose Jennings
* Carol Hatchett - Pointer Sister
* Judith Mwale - Pointer Sister
* Keabetswe Motsilanyane - Pointer Sister
* Richard Katanga - Mobutu Aide / Military Aide
* Thomas Kariuki Matheri - Lieutenant Nsakala
* Larry Hazzard Sr. - Zack Clayton
* Derrick Brown - Larry Holmes
* Rommel Hyacinth - The Pilot
* Graham Hopkins - London Banker
* Daniel Janks - CIA Man
* Bradford E. Lang - Black Pilot
* Michael Dorn - Black Pilot
* Dan Robbertse - Reporter in Zaire (as Daniel Robbertse)
* Graham Clarke - Reporter in Zaire
* Dimitri Cassar - Reporter in Zaire
* Frank Notaro - Reporter in Zaire
* Mark Mulder - Reporter in Zaire
* David W. Hess - Reporter in Zaire (as David Hess)
* Henrikennyo Mukenyi - Bula
* Nathaniel Malekane - Archie Moore
* Millard Arnold - Doc Broadus
* Edda Collier - Blonde French Reporter
* Yi Lu Wei - Chinese Delegate
* Lee Cummings - Hunter Thompson
* Zaa Nkweta - Foreman Fight Announcer
* Themba Gasa - Idi Amin
* Andrew P. Jones - Don King's Aide
* Marc Kulazite Mboli - Additional Aide to Mobutu
* Cimanga Kalambay - Additional Aide to Mobutu
* Jean Bikoi - Additional Aide to Mobutu
* James Gilbert - Sparring Partner in Africa

**Rest of cast listed alphabetically:**

* Dan Andreiu - Fight Spectator (uncredited)
* Teddy Atlas - Audience Member in Zaire (uncredited)
* Tony Babarino - Police Officer (uncredited)
* Matisha Baldwin - Club Patron (uncredited)
* Jon A. Barnes - Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
* Harlan Bengel - Reporter at Title Fight (uncredited)
* Jason Berry - Cheering Fan (uncredited)
* David Bjorlie - Dancer (uncredited)
* Greg Bronson - Upscale Fight Fan (uncredited)
* Lionel D. Carson - Dr. King's Driver (uncredited)
* Ralph Cole Jr. - Harlem Resident (uncredited)
* Vincent Cook - Jimmy Ellis (uncredited)
* Craig Cove - Frazier Fight Reporter (uncredited)
* Ed Cray - Radical Professor (uncredited)
* James Currie - Court Room Photographer (uncredited)
* Vincent De Paul - Roving Reporter (uncredited)
* Trish Dempsey - Diplomat's Wife (uncredited)
* Donald Dowd - News Reporter (uncredited)
* Edge - Sports Writer (uncredited)
* Freda Nelson Evans - Woman in Mink (uncredited)
* Josh Feinberg - Extra in Terrell Fight Sequence (uncredited)
* Shane Fenton - Audience member (uncredited)
* Richard Fitzpatrick - Sparring partner (uncredited)
* Deborah Smith Ford - Party Guest (uncredited)
* Patrick H. Fox - New York Reporter (uncredited)
* Edward C. Gillow - Foreman-Frazier Fight Judge (uncredited)
* Julius Gregory - Bartender (uncredited)
* Ross Haines - News Cameraman (uncredited)
* George Hambach - Induction Center Doctor (uncredited)
* Glen Hambly - Ringside Reporter (uncredited)
* Daniel D. Harris - Ringside Color Commentator (uncredited)
* Monica Haynes - Concert Goer (uncredited)
* Maxwell Highsmith - Nation of Islam Soldier No. 6 (uncredited)
* Johnathan Hodges - Waiter (uncredited)
* Will Holman - FOI (uncredited)
* Brandon T. Jackson - Club Goer (uncredited)
* Kitty Kavey - Waitress (uncredited)
* Michael Keyes - Dumbfounded Spectator (uncredited)
* Carolina Lancaster - Dancer (uncredited)
* Pati Lauren - Aide to Howard Cosell (uncredited)
* Leon - Brother 'Joe' (uncredited)
* Eric Lichtenberg - Reporter (uncredited)
* Corey Lubak - Swimmer (uncredited)
* Paul McMichael - Fight Fan (uncredited)
* Valentine Miele - Liston Fight Reporter (uncredited)
* Jermaine Montell - Dancer (uncredited)
* Denise Moss - Bar Goer (uncredited)
* K.C. Muskat - Waitress (uncredited)
* John O. Nelson - Louis Rodriguez (uncredited)
* Tracy Perry - Usher (uncredited)
* Al Quinn - Boxing Trainer (uncredited)
* Javier Rivas - TV Reporter (uncredited)
* Hunter F. Roberts - Angry Fight Fan (uncredited)
* Sheldon Robins - Heckler (uncredited)
* Joseph Luis Rubin - Blinky Polermo (uncredited)
* Wil Santiago - Fruit of Islam (uncredited)
* Prince Shah - Angry Fight Fan (uncredited)
* Raymond Spaulding - Fight Fan (uncredited)
* Robert Standley - Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
* Jack Truman - Reporter (uncredited)
* Ray Uhler - Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
* Larry Vigus - Times Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
* Robert Warnack - Madison Square Garden Fight Fan (uncredited)
* Nikki Williams - Dancer (uncredited)
* John Wolfshohl - Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini (uncredited)
* Graeme Wood - Journalist (uncredited)
* Jackie Zane - Fight Fan (uncredited)