Conor McGregor had to learn to NOT hit people while making Road House - 'They wanted it realistic'

Virgin Radio

15 Mar 2024, 09:53

UFC Fighter-turned-actor Conor McGregor has opened up about the very real challenge of being paid to NOT hit people while filming Road House with Jake Gyllenhaal. 

The MMA star makes his feature film debut in the 80s remake as hardman Knox, who is hired by business tycoon Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen) to take out Gyllenhaal’s protagonist Dalton. 

Jake himself stars a former UFC fighter, who is lured to a Florida Keys roadhouse to help keep out some unfavourable clientele, but gets more than he bargained for when the roadhouse he’s protecting gets the attention of Brandt. 

Conor is often considered one of the biggest names in MMA history, with his UFC record currently at 22-6, and while at the UK Special Screening of Road House in London last night (14th March), he explained to virginradio.co.uk and other press how it felt to be told to miss (or at least not injure) for the first time in his career. 

“They told me to go ahead and hit the stunt doubles,” the sportsman explained. “They were there for that reason, that's what they're paid for. 

“They wanted it as realistic as possible, so that's what we're doing. They hit me back as well, it was a fair fight, but it was as real as it gets!”

It turns out “fake it till you make it” was a mantra Conor took with him throughout filming Road House. 

When asked what was more nerve-wracking - entering the UFC Octogon for the first time or filming his very first scene on a movie - the Irishman replied: “The Octagon is heavy and intense but I had to pretend. I had to act like I was my character Knox. I'm the big bad guy. I'm the hitman, and I'm the main guy. 

“I'm here to do a job and no one's gonna stop me. That was my mindset going in and although I might not have been feeling it really deep inside me, I cast it as if I was. I hope it came across as such.”

It was all too real for Dalton star Jake, who got a taste of the UFC fighter’s power after he accidentally punched him behind-the-scenes!

Road House is a fresh reimagining of the 1989 cult classic starring Patrick Swazye, who played lead Dalton, who is lured from his job as a bouncer in New York to work as a ‘cooler’ at a roadside bar in Missouri. Life at the bar is anything but easy as he then helps to protect the small town from a corrupt businessman.

Despite becoming one of Swayze’s most memorable 80s roles, the film was originally given mixed-reviews on release, and made $61 million at the box office. 

Becoming something of a cult classic, Road House found life in the home-video market and streaming, grossing another £203million in VHS, and then DVD, Blu-ray and streaming service sales. 

Road House will land on Prime Video on 21st March.