Mike Tyson Says This Film Scene Saved His Career
At the time, Tyson knew very little about the film along with those involved.
Mike Tyson hasn’t had a Disney style of life.
Sure, he’s doing great these days, however, he has seen his fair share of ups and downs. His childhood, unfortunately, had more downs than ups. He was typically involved in fights and by the age of 13, he was already arrested 38 times.
Now imagine telling the same 13-year-old, he’d be involved in a film that brought in almost $500 million… yea, he probably wouldn’t have bought it.
Boxing was Tyson’s outlet and in the early ’80s, he was competing on the Olympic stage. Soon enough, he enjoyed a big rise to stardom, with his devastating TKOs and later, becoming the Undisputed Champion.
Again, all the way, he encountered some pitfalls. So much so, that Tyson lost it all, from his funds to even his fame. Multiple divorces along with lawsuits set him back. Mike also had a bad problem with substance abuse.
That was the case when he was cast in a certain film back in 2009. Although he wasn’t in the proper mindset at the time, the role shifted his career completely, and it caused him to clean up his personal life.
We’ll take a look at the role, along with the scene that changed everything for Iron Mike.
He Took The Role For All The Wrong Reasons
At the time, Tyson knew very little about the film along with those involved. He was in a dark point, consumed by his antics away from the camera. Tyson admits, he took the role so that it could fund his reckless ways.
“I was doing that to supply my drug habit. I’m sorry I’m coming at you guys like this… I said, ‘Wow, This is going to be really good. We’re going to sell this stuff on 42nd street on bootleg and make a lot of money.’ This is my best thinking on drugs… It wasn’t that way. It was an international success.
Little did he know, the role ended up doing the exact opposite. Tyson was back in the good graces of the fans following the film and in addition, he was encouraged to get clean and make a difference.
Mike Tyson Admits to 'Drinking and Smoking' a Lot During Filming of 'The Hangover' https://t.co/7CSrhN7g3h pic.twitter.com/g5DlFKWJOK— Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) July 4, 2020
Nonetheless, he recalls the experience as a disastrous one, given that he remembers very little. Not to mention that he wasn’t in the best of shape for the role.
He Remembers Very Little From The Cameo
His film journey started at a club… just the day prior to the shoot, Mike met with his fellow castmates. He knew very little about the encounter, according to his words alongside Tony Robbins. “So I went in there, I’m checking these guys to see what they’re doing in my section. It was Zach, the other guy, and he said, ‘We’re going to be in a movie with you’ and I said, ‘Yeah? When?’ And he said, ‘Tomorrow,’” Tyson recalled.
“And I didn’t know as I was drinking and smoking back then, doing drugs so I didn’t know I was involved in the movie. So eventually I had to go and do the movie and it was a success.“
Tyson was in rough shape and by his own standards, he admitted to being overweight. In addition, while on-set, Tom Phillips reveals he actually had to show Tyson how to throw a punch.”He kept kind of doing it wrong for camera, in fact, he was sort of pulling it back too far.” “I’m sort of showing him how to throw a punch, and without missing a beat, he goes ‘Oh this is great, I’m getting boxing lessons from the captain of the Jewish debating team.'”By the end of it, the struggle was all worth it, as Tyson completely changed the public’s perception.
The Scene That Stole The Film
Sure, the road was a bumpy one, but once ‘The Hangover’ came out, Tyson’s career forever changed. The film was a crazy success, bringing in $469 million off a $35 million budget. Of course, sequels would also be made. A certain scene in the film had everyone talking and in Tyson’s view, it helped his career get back on track.
“One day I’m in a restaurant and the movie hadn’t come out yet, but the kids must have seen the preview of me punching Zach,” Tyson said.
“So one of those sightseeing buses went by and all the kids came off the bus and grabbed me, taking pictures and my friend says, ‘I think we’ve got something here, Mike’ and I said, ‘Yeah, me too.’” In truth, the story deserves a film in itself!
