Amir El-Masry is seen for the first time on set of new biopic Giant as he takes on lead role of Prince Naseem in film about the boxer’s life

Amir El-Masry was seen for the first time on the set of the new biopic Giant on Tuesday.

The Egyptian-British actor, 33, is set to play the lead role of Prince Naseem Hamed in a film about the boxer’s life.

James Bond icon Pierce Brosnan, 70, will also star in the film and was seen on set with Amir. He plays Naseem’s trainer Brendan Ingle.

Amir, wearing a gray hoodie and jeans, was spotted filming at a boxing club in Leeds.

Meanwhile, Pierce has undergone a dramatic transformation to play the trainer of boxing great Brendan.

Pierce’s usual impressive quiff of silver hair was hidden beneath a wig of white hair that swept back at the crown and was combed.

The Hollywood star’s trademark sharp suits for his role as Bond were long gone as he stepped out in a blue tracksuit and glasses.

The film is produced by Rocky star Sylvester Stallone and written and directed by Rowan Athale, with Amir taking on the role of Prince Naseem.

Amir is a British-Egyptian actor who won Best Young Actor at the Egyptian Oscars in 2009 and is known for his roles in Jon Stewart’s directorial debut Rosewater, the multi-award winning series The Night Manager and the BAFTA nominated The State.

Giant tells the compelling true story of the British-Yemeni boxer and his rags to riches rise in the tough working class streets of Sheffield and his discovery by Brendan, himself a steel industry worker turned boxing trainer.

In the film, the boxer becomes world champion under the guidance of the Irish-born boxing trainer.

Brendan and Prince Naseem’s unlikely partnership, along with Naz’s unorthodox style, cocky personality and sheer dominance in the ring, propelled them to the top of boxing’s elite and unprecedented levels of stardom, all despite the racism of the 80s and 90 in Britain.

AGC Studios Chairman and CEO Stuart Ford said in a statement: “Since we commissioned Rowan to write the brilliant screenplay for ‘Giant’ several years ago, we have been passionate about bringing this extraordinary story to the big screen.

‘Amir and Pierce will make a powerful lead duo and it’s exciting that Zygi and his team at True Brit, with their stellar career in bringing the best British film to audiences, believe as fervently as we do in the cinematic potential of’ Giant’. ‘

The film was originally set to shoot in Malta but has now started filming in Leeds and Yorkshire after British Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the country’s new Independent Film Tax Credit, which will give studios a 40 percent tax credit for making films in the United States. country.

Boxing trainer Brendan died in 2018 at the age of 77. The Irishman set up the famous Wincobank gym in Sheffield and guided, among others, ‘Prince’ Naseem, Johnny Nelson and Junior Witter to world championships.

As a boxer he competed 34 times with a record of 19-14, but later made a name for himself as a trainer and manager and was known for his famous footwork drills in the Sheffield gym.

He mentored Naseem from the age of seven and the two captured multiple featherweight world championships, with Johnny becoming a WBO cruiserweight title holder and Witter a former WBC light welterweight champion.

In 1998 Ingle was awarded an MBE for his services to working with young people in the Sheffield area and British boxing. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University, where he previously lectured.