Very similar to his preventing profession, Maurice Greene didn’t actually plan on changing into an actor.
The previous UFC and PFL heavyweight, who scored his first main starring position within the new Jordan Peele produced horror film Him, simply occurred to run right into a filmmaker who favored his look when he was scouting potential extras for an unbiased characteristic taking pictures in New Mexico. But it surely seems that wasn’t the primary time any person instructed Greene that he would most likely look good on digital camera if he ever needed to provide performing a strive.
“Once I moved right here [to New Mexico], I really didn’t even know that there was a [film] group right here,” Greene instructed MMA Preventing. “I moved right here for MMA, I used to be nonetheless within the UFC on the time, it was proper after I beat Gian Villante. A few folks got here into Jackson’s on the time, and I ended up doing one thing with a man who was an unbiased man, did somewhat battle scene, bought my ft moist.
“However once I was on The Final Fighter, the manufacturing [team] would all the time inform me ‘it’s best to go to Hollywood.’ I used to be like I can’t stay in Hollywood, I can’t do it. It’s simply not my shit. I like going there to go to however I ain’t attempting to stay there, until I’ve to. Once I bought right here, I had the chance so I attempted to do it. I found out as a lot as I may. I took a monologue class and did a bunch of issues. I ended up getting signed by Presley Expertise and the remainder is historical past. I’ve simply been doing a bunch of auditions. I’ve most likely accomplished 100 auditions in lower than two years I’ve been actually attempting to get it.”
Greene shortly realized that if he needed to have any sort of profession in performing, he needed to put the identical sort of dedication in direction of studying that craft as he did with MMA.
That profession began largely as a result of Greene was an chubby child get who bought bullied, and it wasn’t till a buddy requested him if he was taken with preventing that he was motivated sufficient to study martial arts so he may get in form. A month later, Greene was taking his first battle.
Even now, it’s arduous for Greene to wrap his head round the truth that he ultimately made all of it the best way to the highest of the game when he bought signed to the UFC.
“I used to be a fats boy who bought picked on, by no means fought a day in my life,” Greene stated. “Misplaced 100 kilos, beginning preventing, took my first battle in 30 days. Saved saying I used to be going to be within the UFC, the dudes laughed at me within the health club.
“Made it on The Final Fighter, went to the UFC, was within the PFL, did some bare-knuckle. An actual journeyman as they might say.”
Greene grew to like preventing however he endured a terrifying harm throughout considered one of his remaining appearances within the UFC that successfully modified every thing for him — he simply didn’t understand it on the time.
“Throughout my Greg Hardy camp, my legs and arms went numb throughout that camp,” Greene revealed. “I used to be having issues with my nerves going into that battle, and after the primary spherical, my proper arm was fully numb. I bought the sensation again.
“That’s the second time in my profession now, first time in a battle that every thing simply went numb. He hit me within the high of the top, compressed my backbone, legs and arms went numb.”
It was undoubtedly scary however not sufficient to make Greene stroll away from preventing so he saved transferring ahead together with his profession. He in the end competed eight extra occasions previous that Greg Hardy battle, nevertheless it was his remaining look in Mike Perry’s Soiled Boxing promotion in early 2025 that solidified his determination to name it a profession.
Following a feel-good second when he wrapped up a submission win over fellow UFC veteran Chase Sherman in a bare-knuckle MMA battle, Greene then booked his look in Soiled Boxing. He in the end suffered a blistering 45-second knockout loss in a battle towards Rakim Cleveland.
To be clear, Greene has the utmost respect for Cleveland and gave him credit score for the win however he additionally is aware of competing that evening was only a unhealthy thought.
“I had no enterprise dropping to him,” Greene stated. “I had no enterprise dropping to a man like him. I ought to have beat him. However generally you simply can’t battle what your physique says you possibly can’t do. I ought to have received that battle. Had we received that battle, we could also be having a unique dialog however this consequence was all the time coming.
“It’s all the time been a fear of mine. I get hit within the neck, I bought zings in my fingers. This has been occurring for the reason that Greg Hardy battle, and we threat it, threat it, threat it for the biscuit. I by no means bought the biscuit. I bought crumbs. You are feeling me? It’s time to go get the entire cake now.”
The cruel realization following that loss led to Greene deciding that he was retiring from preventing and placing his full consideration on his new profession in performing whereas additionally ensuring he was going to be current for his spouse and children.
“I’m accomplished preventing. I’m accomplished,” Greene stated. “It’s been a pleasant 15 12 months lengthy profession.
“It’s time to place that power that I put into coaching for therefore a few years into my youngsters and my household and performing. MMA was superb to me, I made it additional than most. Folks discuss shit, they will say what they need. He wasn’t this, he wasn’t that … I’m happy with my physique of labor.”
Preventing could also be completed however Greene is simply getting began together with his new profession.
After scoring a number of small roles and staying busy with stunt work, Greene landed his half within the new film Him, however reality be instructed, he didn’t even know a lot in regards to the movie till he bought solid.
“I get an audition, I get a breakdown, it sort of offers me somewhat bit however I imply you don’t know the magnitude of it,” Greene stated. “You don’t know magnitude till perhaps you go your becoming or perhaps whenever you go to your becoming you possibly can see the solid.
“I deal with every thing just about the identical. I attempt to give it my all each time I get to be on set, it’s a privilege to be chosen to be on set. Who is aware of what number of auditions they noticed, however they favored mine. So whenever you present up, you present as much as do the job and also you focus in. I’m excited to see what it’s going to appear like. A terrific solid, crew, director. It was cool.”
For his highest-profile position up to now, Greene stars alongside Tyriq Withers — a soccer participant named Cameron Cade, who suffers an unspeakable tragedy that probably ends his taking part in profession however that’s when he receives a lifeline with an invite to coach alongside Isaiah White — a multi-time champion quarterback portrayed by Marlon Wayans. It’s solely after he arrives at White’s compound that Cameron realizes there’s one thing a lot darker and sinister at work throughout these coaching periods and it might value him greater than he ever bargained for.
The primary trailer confirmed a maniacal wanting Greene with blood splashed throughout his face as he engaged with Wither’s character throughout an intense coaching session. Him opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, and Greene can’t look ahead to the remainder of the world to see what unfolds on display.
“I’m past excited,” Greene stated. “I actually simply can’t look ahead to it to come back out.”
This can be the primary main launch to characteristic Greene’s title within the credit, however he is aware of it received’t be his final. He’s already filmed a number of different elements in upcoming movies and TV reveals, however Greene guarantees that the arduous work doesn’t cease simply because he’s not punching folks for a residing anymore.
In reality, Greene says that’s one lesson he took from MMA that he continues to make use of in his new job.
“It’s similar to MMA. Performing is difficult in itself,” Greene stated. “It’s taxing on the mind, it’s taxing on the physique. Any time, I can study one thing from being on set or for stunts or for performing, I’m going to do it each time.
“You do rather a lot. You study rather a lot. I’m getting smaller roles. I’m doing stunt roles. I might assume these actors who’ve these larger roles, who’re increased up on the decision sheet, it’s powerful. You’ve bought to remain locked in on a regular basis. It’s similar to MMA. It simply jogs my memory of the identical grind, however we’re utilizing totally different muscle groups.”
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