Critics call Conor McGregor ‘his generation’s Arnold Schwarzenegger’ as UFC star wins rave reviews for his acting debut in new Road House movie remake alongside Jake Gyllenhaal – but he admits he’s ‘unlikely’ to ever to act again because it was ‘hard work’
Conor McGregor has admitted he is ‘unlikely to act again’ despite receiving top reviews for his role in new action film Road House starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
The UFC star, who has not fought since July 2021, made his acting debut alongside the Hollywood superstar in a remake of the late Patrick Swayze‘s 1989 film.
He was hired to play the muscleman ‘Knox’ who clashes with Gyllenhaal’s protagonist, UFC fighter turned security guard ‘Elwood Dalton’. The new Dalton is a ripped fighter who becomes a bouncer for a seedy bar in the Florida Keys.
McGregor appeared with his opponent at the Amazon Prime film’s debut screening at the Curzon in Mayfair, London on Thursday.
He said he thought his co-star Gyllenhaal and director Doug Liman were both “amazing.”
Conor McGregor, 35, posed with his co-star Jake Gyllenhaal, 43, at the star-studded screening of Road House at the Curzon in Mayfair, London, on Thursday
McGregor (pictured left) was hired to play the muscleman ‘Knox’ who clashes with Gyllenhaal’s protagonist, UFC fighter turned security guard ‘Elwood Dalton’
Here Jake is seen face to face with Conor, a huge UFC champion, at the dive bar
The UFC star said the filming process made him appreciate his fellow cast members. Pictured: Conor as Knox in Road House.
He added: “Director Doug, he gave me confidence, made me feel like I was better than I probably was, I just enjoyed the whole process.”
The UFC star said the process made him realize that his fellow cast members were “really good actors.”
When asked if this would be the start of his acting career, McGregor revealed that he plans to “get back into fighting shape” so he can compete as a UFC fighter again.
He admitted that his filming schedule for Road House was grueling went on: ‘It was hard work, and I’m used to hard work, but the schedule was intense.
“I’m not sure I’ll live to see it again, but it’s in the bank, it’s in the history books. Money may come and go, but this film will be there forever.”
Many film critics have praised the UFC star for his acting debut, with some saying he could be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Indie Wire’s film critic Christian Zilko said, “McGregor steals every scene he’s in.
‘It’s unclear how much of what he does is actually acting, as he simply plays a loud and charismatic Irishman who likes to punch people and show off his ridiculous tattoos.
Lukas Gage, Conor McGregor, Daniela Melchoir, Jake Gyllenhaal and Billy Magnussen attended the London photo call for Prime Video’s ‘Road House’ earlier this week
Conor McGregor (pictured) stars in the new Road House film, starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal
Road House had an impressive score of 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (Photo: Conor McGregor leaving the debut screening at Curzon in Mayfair)
McGregor has said he wants to return to UFC fighting (pictured at the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami)
“But his first acting role could make him the Arnold Schwarzenegger of his generation.”
IGN, an American entertainment site, said of McGregor’s performance: ‘McGregor steals the show by playing someone so deranged that he trades his Ferrari for a driving school car just because he feels like it, and then stops the vehicle by to ram a tree just for fun. damn.’
Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman said the UFC star’s performance was “stunning,” adding: “Bearded and barrel-chested, with gleaming white teeth, he makes Knox move like a gorilla on pep pills, and the exuberance of his murderous rage might come out. from a ‘Mad Max’ movie.’
Writing for Empire, Boyd Hilton said: “It’s a daring and controversial piece of stunt casting, but after making a proper entrance, McGregor maintains an impressive level of hyper-intensity throughout.”
Meanwhile, Road House achieved an impressive 76 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from 25 reviews.
Despite the rave reviews, McGregor also revealed he was nervous about his family seeing his performance, especially his children.
He said: ‘They clearly can’t watch and never will, to be honest! They are going to cordon off another cinema room and show one of the children’s films. I’m excited.’
McGregor has been away from the Octagon since breaking his lower leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since losing his trilogy fight against Poirier in 2021
He also emphasized, “I’m nervous when my mother sees it.”
Turning his attention to his UFC comeback, the former doubleweight champion said: “We are still in the first quarter of this year, the conversations are ongoing. It’s a bit of a lack of transparency. I have two fights left on my contract. I don’t think either of us knows what their move will be.
“I just want to get a little more consistency in my training. Am I flat now? No, I’m not completely empty right now, but I have been.
“I planned for the beginning of this year, I planned for January, and even before that I planned for December. I had set up camps. I had a camp in Cannes in the south of France, I also had a camp in Dubai, with some world champions with me.’
‘I set up a solid camp and I was well prepared. Then you get a lack of transparency, it is as if you remain on ‘seen’. Then I myself start to lose interest and get caught up in other things going on – like this as such.
‘I just hope I can get this done. The film is out in (approximately) another ten days. Once that’s out, my work is done. Then I have the Paddy’s (St. Patrick’s Day) festivities with the Forged Irish Stout and Proper Twelve (McGregor’s business ventures) to take care of. Once that’s done, I’ll be sent away.
‘I’m still in shape, I’m still training. Like I said, I’ve had camps abroad. So if they just give me a date, hopefully I’ll go for June 29th, and that would be a goal for me.
‘It has been more than three and a half months (…) in the condition I am in now.’
Meanwhile, Gyllenhaal has said he got tattoos made for his character in honor of the late Patrick Swayze when making a remake of his action thriller.
Dirty Dancing star Swayze played James Dalton, a New York City bouncer hired to protect a bar in Jasper, Missouri, in the original 1989 film.
Jake Gyllenhaal bared his sculpted torso in a smoldering new poster for the upcoming remake of ’80s classic Road House
The original film starred Patrick Swayze as New York City bouncer James Dalton, who ends up working at a nightclub in a small town in Missouri.
The pair worked together in the 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko, in which Gyllenhaal stars as a sleepwalking teenager and Swayze plays a motivational speaker.
Speaking at a special screening of the new Road House in London, Gyllenhaal said: ‘Patrick and I met when I was making this film Donnie Darko very early in my career and he was always so generous and he was lovely to me and supported me throughout my career. .
“And so, when it came time to try this on, I thought about him a lot and tried to honor him in different ways.
“I have some tattoos in my character that we designed in his honor, just to carry him with me while I was doing it. And I’m just a big fan of Patrick Swayze.”
Swayze died of pancreatic cancer in 2009 at the age of 57.
Reflecting on how he approached creating his character, Gyllenhaal added, “A big part of it is a sense of humor.
“I think the entire film is a wonderful, fun, exciting, but sometimes absurd ride and we always keep that in mind and that’s what makes Doug Liman such a great filmmaker.”
“He’s always threading the needle and that’s why the film is so special.”
Road House will be released on Amazon Prime on March 21.