The boxing movie formula is well-known: the underdog faces grueling physical and emotional challenges, fights for a championship, and emerges transformed, win or lose. Rocky is the classic example. But if you’re looking for the next Rocky, you won’t find it in The Cut, a psychological thriller directed by Sean Ellis.
Orlando Bloom stars as the Boxer, a former champion forced into early retirement due to injury. Years later, he spends most of his time dreaming of redemption—dreams that are rekindled when he receives a title opportunity against the reigning champ.
To qualify for the fight, Boxer must lose nearly 30 pounds in a week. Initially, he tries the usual methods of calorie restriction, sweat, and training. When these fail, he resorts to extreme measures, pushing himself past the point of no return.
Caitríona Balfe, known for Outlander, stars as Caitlin, Boxer’s devoted partner and trainer. As Boxer descends this dark path, Caitlin tries valiantly to support him. Yet she comes to understand that he must confront his demons alone, even if it means risking their relationship in his darkest hour.
Balfe spoke about how Bloom’s transformation on screen helped her connect emotionally with Caitlin. She also reflected on her own career and the sports movies she dreams of seeing.
“There’s this moving conversation you have with Orlando’s character about why he’s getting back into boxing and putting his body through this extreme weight loss. He talks about how it’s the only thing he knows. It’s something he must do, and he’s not going to quit, no matter what. I like that idea of doing something for yourself, where maybe not everyone understands why you’re doing it. I’m curious about your career. For a role or project, have you ever had a moment where you had to do something, and no matter what anyone else was saying, you stuck to it?”
Caitríona Balfe responded, “Oh, god. Good question. I mean, yeah, I think we all have those moments in our lives, right? I think when I was in my late 20s, I was living in New York, and I was doing something else. I started acting. I’d gone to theater school, and then I dropped out.
“I was doing fashion for almost 10 years, and I definitely came to that point where I was like, ‘OK, I’m looking at 30 coming up. If I don’t try and change my life right now, I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life.’ I moved to L.A. and started from the bottom.
“I think with Boxer, there’s a difference because he has pinned a lot of his self-esteem and happiness on a dream. Caitlin has learned to pivot and realized that you will get happiness and satisfaction from other things in life. I think Boxer has sort of been stunted in a way because he thinks this one dream is going to fix everything, but it won’t. I hope I’m not like Boxer in that way.” [Laughs]
“I hope we’re all not that way. I don’t want to go through that.”
[Laughs] “Right. I think there are moments. We can take some of the general, broad lessons but then realize there are many shades within them.”
When asked about supporting Bloom through his physical transformation, Balfe said, “I mean, what he [Orlando] did was incredible. It was really amazing. We had done a lot of gym training together about a month before we started filming. Just pad work and different sessions like that. And then I think he was doing something else, and I was on another project, and I didn’t see him for about three and a half or four weeks.
“Then, in the first few days of filming, I saw him, and I was shocked. I couldn’t believe how much weight he had dropped and how different he looked. He was restricting his calories so much, and he was training so much. On top of that, you’re filming 12 hours a day. He had to get his prosthetics and everything on, which were amazing. You could feel the struggle was very, very real for him.
“I think it helped so much, even for me, because you just have this empathy and this worry, and you just want to take care of him. I think that really fed into where Caitlin was at. She is so worried about him.
“We filmed reverse chronologically, so it really helped because at that point in the film, that is where he’s at his most desperate. She’s at her most concerned. It worked because we were all like, ‘Man. Are you OK? Are you going to be alright?’ As the filming went on, he was like doubling up on his lunches and eating ice cream and all that kind of stuff. We’re like, ‘You’re fine.’” [Laughs]
Asked if she’d like to star in another sports movie, Balfe said, “I mean, I am such a fan of sports films. I think it shows the best of humanity when people just push themselves to extremes. I’m up for any sports film. What hasn’t been done? I don’t know … I don’t know. What hasn’t been done?
“I’m always looking for another Moneyball with Brad Pitt. That’s what I want. A drama behind the scenes.
“I always think of those extreme marathon runners who do, like, seven marathons in seven days on seven continents or something. I think that’d be a good one.”
The Cut is in theaters on September 5, 2025.