Valentina Shevchenko Talks Acting Role in ‘Bruised’ with Halle Berry

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ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief and Sherdog Editor Tyler Treese caught up with UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko ahead of the “Bruised” release on Netflix. The film is directed by and stars Academy Award winner Halle Berry as a retired mixed martial artist that is drawn back into the sport. Shevchenko plays an Invicta Fighting Championships flyweight champion nicknamed “Lady Killer” and gets to show off her fighting prowess in the sports drama that will stream on Nov. 24, 2021.

“This was the longest five rounds I ever had,” says Shevchenko of the championship bout in the film. “Usually, it’s like five rounds, five minutes, 25 minutes, that’s it. But that time we had like a full five days of five rounds fight. Yes, definitely it’s totally different work because first of all, me being a professional fighter, but at the same time playing in a movie, I want to hit her hard to look like it is hitting full power, but in the same time, give a lot of confidence to Halle that she can trust me. I never will hurt her, and this is what we were building leading to the filming process. During two months, we were training in New York, with Halle, for five hours every day, building this confidence to get together, to create the perfect moves, real fights for the movie.”