Pierce Brosnan reveals he spent hours having prosthetics applied each day for his dramatic transformation into boxing trainer Brendan Ingle for biopic Giant

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His portrayal as the suave 007 agent James Bond made him a global heartthrob. 

For his new movie, Giant, Pierce Brosnan has undergone a major transformation, playing boxing coach Brendan Ingle in the story of Prince Naseem Hamed’s rise to world championship glory.

I was so fascinated to hear that the actor, at 72, went through hours of makeup every day, including having prosthetics applied! But what really struck me was that even with all that, he still wore the famous leopard print tracksuit – it’s such a signature part of his look, it’s amazing he kept it!

Pierce and Amir El-Masry, who plays Prince Naseem in the film, were on The One Show on Tuesday to talk about it.

Pierce explained that playing the role required a significant change in his appearance, so much so that he didn’t resemble himself. He was particularly impressed with the script, calling it a ‘jewel’ crafted by the director and screenwriter, Rowan Athale, and noted that prosthetics were used to achieve the transformation.

Amir mentioned that Pierce spent hours getting makeup and prosthetics applied to become his character, Brendan. Pierce confirmed it took around two hours, explaining he wore a bald cap and a prosthetic nose.

Angellica Bell asked Pierce about his experience with the show’s costume, saying, ‘What was it like wearing the leopard print tracksuit? You even did some dancing in it!’

You know, as someone who studies charisma and impact, what always struck me about Brendan and Naz was their incredible showmanship. They weren’t just performers; they commanded attention. It was all about creating a spectacle, and they absolutely nailed it – they knew exactly how to capture the world’s imagination.

He then joked: ‘But yeah…the leopard skin… I kept the leopard skin! You never know….’

Sylvester Stallone, known for the Rocky movies, produced the film, while Rowan Athale wrote and directed it.

Giant is the inspiring true story of a British-Yemeni boxer who rose from poverty to success in the gritty streets of Sheffield. The film follows his journey and how he was discovered by Brendan, a former steelworker who became his boxing coach.

The movie tells the story of a boxer who, with the help of an Irish boxing trainer, rises to become a world champion.

The surprising collaboration between Brendan and Prince Naseem, combined with Naseem’s unique boxing style, confident attitude, and incredible skill, made them boxing superstars. They achieved this success despite facing racism in Britain during the 1980s and 90s.

Stuart Ford, head of AGC Studios, announced that they’ve been eager to adapt Rowan’s fantastic screenplay for ‘Giant’ into a film ever since they first read it several years ago.

Amir and Pierce are a fantastic pairing to lead the film, and we’re thrilled that Zygi and the team at True Brit – who have a proven history of successfully launching British films – share our confidence in ‘Giant’s’ potential.

The film is scheduled for release in the UK and Ireland on January 9.

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2026-01-07 03:53