'American Underdog' brings inspirational story of football great Kurt Warner to the big screen
NFL great Kurt Warner starts from ground zero to teach actor Zachary Levi about the basics of playing football
HOLLYWOOD -- The new movie, "American Underdog" tells the inspirational story of football great Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda. From the toughest of times... to him becoming a Super Bowl champion, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and a Hall of Fame quarterback.
"You know what? Life hit and life hit hard. And you have a choice. And I think that by being a former Marine, something in me just says, 'Keep going and do the best you can," said Brenda.
Anna Paquin plays Brenda in "American Underdog."
"Brenda is a formidable human being. And I mean, that is the highest possible compliment," said Paquin. "There's this sweet, genuine, sensitive, caring, open, loving human as well."
Zachary Levi plays Kurt in the film; the NFL champ gave the actor a helping hand behind-the-scenes so Levi would have all the right moves to play a quarterback.
"He came into the house very early one morning and we went out in the backyard. That was one of the first things. I'm, like, okay, when are we getting out in the backyard because I know that's going to be a huge part of the movie is that you've got to be able to, you know, at least pull it off to a degree where people buy into the football part of it when you're making a sports movie," said Kurt.
"I had never really played, you know, organized football. So to get into the head of a quarterback and really understand what's going through their mind and how all those plays work and how the game at large is kind of being maneuvered was super cool. I learned so much," said Levi.
"American Underdog" officially tackles the box office nationwide on Christmas Day.
