Banderas, Paxton Join Carano Film
Loretta Hunt Jan 28, 2010
Gina
Carano is in good company.
MMA’s brightest women’s star will test out her box-office wattage alongside Antonio Banderas and Bill Paxton, who have joined the cast of Carano’s film debut “Knockout,” Variety reported on Wednesday.
The film, directed by Steven Soderbergh, center’s around Carano’s
character, Mallory Kane, a top-level government agent who believes
she’s been betrayed by her boss and goes on the run.
Paxton, now in his fourth season of HBO’s "Big Love," will play Carano’s father, while Banderas will portray “a foreign operative drawn into the mission of revenge.”
Ewan McGregor, who played Obi Wan Kenobi in the most recent “Star Wars” trilogy, has been previously announced as part of the cast, while “GI Joe” star Channing Tatum signed on with the film last week. Michael Douglas and Dennis Quaid have been rumored for the film as well, but not yet confirmed.
Soderbergh won an Oscar for directing 2000’s “Traffic” and helmed the Oscar-nominated “Erin Brockovich,” as well as the “Oceans Eleven” film series.
The 27-year-old Carano has spent the last two months in Los Angeles studying for the role, and underwent special weapons training for her character. The film will begin shooting in Ireland and Spain in the next few weeks.
Carano, who’s signed with Strikeforce, was defeated by Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in their headlining 145-pound title bout for the San Jose-based promotion last August. Santos dominated Carano for a majority of the first round before earning a referee stoppage with only one second left on the clock. The bout was Carano’s first MMA loss.
Carano has not been interviewed since the bout, through Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he expects “the Face of Women’s MMA” to return to the promotion sometime in the year’s second quarter.
MMA’s brightest women’s star will test out her box-office wattage alongside Antonio Banderas and Bill Paxton, who have joined the cast of Carano’s film debut “Knockout,” Variety reported on Wednesday.
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Paxton, now in his fourth season of HBO’s "Big Love," will play Carano’s father, while Banderas will portray “a foreign operative drawn into the mission of revenge.”
Ewan McGregor, who played Obi Wan Kenobi in the most recent “Star Wars” trilogy, has been previously announced as part of the cast, while “GI Joe” star Channing Tatum signed on with the film last week. Michael Douglas and Dennis Quaid have been rumored for the film as well, but not yet confirmed.
Soderbergh won an Oscar for directing 2000’s “Traffic” and helmed the Oscar-nominated “Erin Brockovich,” as well as the “Oceans Eleven” film series.
The 27-year-old Carano has spent the last two months in Los Angeles studying for the role, and underwent special weapons training for her character. The film will begin shooting in Ireland and Spain in the next few weeks.
Carano, who’s signed with Strikeforce, was defeated by Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in their headlining 145-pound title bout for the San Jose-based promotion last August. Santos dominated Carano for a majority of the first round before earning a referee stoppage with only one second left on the clock. The bout was Carano’s first MMA loss.
Carano has not been interviewed since the bout, through Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he expects “the Face of Women’s MMA” to return to the promotion sometime in the year’s second quarter.
