With Halle Berry's directorial debut Bruised now playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix, I recently got to speak with Sheila Atim about playing an MMA coach in the film. If you’re not familiar with Bruised, the film stars Berry as a disgraced MMA fighter trying for one last shot at redemption when the son she had given up as an infant unexpectedly reenters her life. Atim plays the coach trying to get Berry's life back on track. Bruised also stars Adan Canto, Shamier Anderson, Danny Boyd, Jr., Adriane Lenox, Valentina Shevchenko, and Stephen McKinley Henderson.

During the interview, Atim talks about why she wanted to be involved in the project, what it was like watching Halle Berry direct her first movie, what people would be surprised to learn about the making of the film, what she learned about MMA fighters while researching the role, and what’s her favorite theater to perform in. In addition, we talked about Jane Goldman’s unaired Game of Thrones pilot which she was part of and if she’s over the series not moving forward on HBO.

bruised Sheila Atim
Image via Netflix

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Watch what Sheila Atim had to say above and below is exactly what we discussed followed by the official synopsis.

Sheila Atim

  • What’s her favorite theater place to perform in and favorite theater to watch a production?
  • Has she fully gotten over the Jane Goldman Game of Thrones pilot she was part of not getting made into a series?
  • Why did she want to be part of Bruised?
  • What was it like watching Halle Berry make her directorial debut on set?
  • What would surprise people to learn about the making of Bruised?
  • What did she learn about MMA fighters while researching the role?
bruised-halle berry directing
Image via Netflix

Here is the official synopsis for Bruised.

Jackie Justice (Halle Berry) is a mixed martial arts fighter who leaves the sport in disgrace. Down on her luck and simmering with rage and regret years after her fight, she’s coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager and boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto) and grabs the attention of a fight league promoter (Shamier Anderson) who promises Jackie a life back in the octagon. But the road to redemption becomes unexpectedly personal when Manny (Danny Boyd, Jr.) — the son she gave up as an infant — shows up at her doorstep. BRUISED marks the directorial debut of Academy Award winner Halle Berry and also stars Adriane Lenox, Sheila Atim, Valentina Shevchenko, and Stephen McKinley Henderson in a triumphant story of a fighter who reclaims her power, in and out of the ring, when everyone has counted her out.