Plus: An exclusive clip of William DeMeo’s boxer meeting Alec Baldwin’s mob boss.
But William DeMeo insists to not let those scenes fool you.
For one, the climactic victory of the hero Anthony Rodriguez occurs very early in the film.
Credit: Lisa Petz Photography
The boxing genres been done 5,000 times.
Theres more happening in the movie beyond training montages and fights, DeMeo says.
Toss in a dash of the mob, led up by Alec Baldwin and Michael Madsen.
Lisa Petz Photography
It was a different kind of cool back then than it is now, he tells EW.
It was pretty much run by organized crime; its a known fact.
Thats the heyday of the mafia.
Lisa Petz Photography
Its much more diverse now than it was.
DeMeo chatted with EW ahead ofBack in the Days release in theaters and VOD services Friday.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Where did the idea ofBack in the Daycome from?
WILLIAM DEMEO:Ive been wanting to do something with boxing for a long time.
There was a lot of racial tension going on in the neighborhood.
I tried to really make boxing the backstory as opposed to it being all about boxing.
Its more about the struggle, outside the ring, as it says in our tagline.
Theres so much that goes on in here in this story.
This is completely not [SouthpaworRocky].
What does Bensonhurst mean to you that you wanted to get across in the movie?
First of all, the way we grew up is long gone.
I just really wanted people to remember how things were earlier on, and then the change.
I tried to show the drastic change in the neighborhood.
I tried to show how the mob was once strong, and years later, its depleted.
I tried to show how it was really Italian at one time, and now its not.
To show the change in the neighborhood was really important to me to get across.
That was a big thing.
Brooklyn went from being a certain way at one time, and now its completely different.
This is the most star power youve shared top-billing with.
How does that feel?
Being from Brooklyn, that I have to say… With Alec Baldwin and Madsen, that was amazing.
Sometimes people have this image about him, which is just ridiculous, because the mans a gentleman.
Hes someone who doesnt want people messing with him.
Hes a real man, but thats a whole other story.
Do you have any stories of Tyson on set?
I just felt that Mike is just seriously a cool guy.
Hes just a cool guy.
He was all about the project, too.
He stayed extra hours, he was there.
He cared about the project.
He took pictures with so many people.
He was just a cool guy.
Sometimes, theres certain people where you feel like there could be some tension there was no tension.
He was just really cool, laidback, down to earth.
I feel like hes a little humble, too.
You get the sense that Mike is just really…
He was telling me when we were talking he really wants to act.
Thats what he really wants to do; this is kind of his passion.
Hed rather play someone else than be Mike Tyson.
What was it like working with Larry Merchant, a boxing legend in his own right?
I was like, this guy is such a face for boxing.
We reached out to Larry.
Its funny, because he just so happened to be from my neighborhood.
He left a long time ago he grew up on Avenue O.
We bonded over that.
He understood what was going on, too.
My diet was extremely strict.
I cut out all the bad carbs.
I ate mostly the good carbs mixed with a lot of protein.
But I trained hard.
The diet is such a big thing to really get your body to another level.
Ive been pretty strict since we finished filming.
Being that Ive seen that transformation, Im trying to keep the build I have.
I cheat a little now, but its better than it was before I started this film.
What was the hardest thing to quit eating?
That was the biggest thing.
I cut [social drinking] out completely, I cut out sweets.
My whole family was there its such an important thing for an Italian-American, Christmas.
You got to eat!
I was sitting there, and Im sleeping.
I lost all my energy.
My body was like, What is going on here right now?
Portions of this interview have been edited and condensed.
