Stars of Clooney film about 1936 Olympic rowers on appeal of underdog story: 'We all think that we're losers'
What the University of Washington junior rowing team pulled off at the 1936 Olympics against a dominant Team Germany was nothing short of miraculous, but the stars of "The Boys in the Boat" are confident today's generation could find the same grit to get the job done.
The film, directed by Hollywood star George Clooney and based on Daniel James Brown's best-selling book of the same name, follows the true story of the junior rowers' incredible journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where the young, inexperienced men beat Germany for the gold. It was a feat that came at the height of the Great Depression, the reign of Nazi Germany and just three years before World War II.
Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner star as Coach Al Ulbrickson and rower Joe Rantz, respectively. The pair spoke with Fox News Digital about what it was like taking a turn as these humble heroes.
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So many underdog sports stories have been told on screen, but audiences keep returning. Edgerton and Turner said they had a few notions as to why.
"I have this secret theory that we all think that we're losers," Edgerton told Fox News Digital. "We all think that we're not good enough. We all think when we go into any situation that we're not going to come out on top. And I think that's why, psychologically when we watch sports or games, we somehow always want to get behind the person that looks like they've got all the odds against them. And on a sports level, we understand the rules of the sport. And even if we don't, even if we're not a big fan of the sport, we get the idea and that psychology and I think it's just something that's innate in our human spirit."
"I think Joe Rantz's story, his personal story, he is the ultimate underdog," Turner added. "He was abandoned by his family continuously from the age of three years old until he was 13, where the final nail in the coffin came down, and he had to fend for himself and what he went to do with his life is just nothing short of inspirational."
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Considering the "boys in the boat" were among those who lived through the Great Depression, could today's generation accomplish what those athletes did back in 1936? Today's young adults have often been derided as "snowflakes" and accused of not being able to handle opposing viewpoints or adversity. But the actors said they believed sheer determination transcends generation.
"Absolutely," Edgerton said. "I think the population of the world is full of people that are willing to pull the great things out of themselves despite whether they fell they're up to the challenge or not. I definitely think there's people all over the world who have got nothing to lose and therefore, they find this essence inside themselves."
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Turner agreed, pointing to a moment in recent sports history to prove it.
"And we see it, too, you know, in sports. An example of that, in the English Premier League in 2016, Leicester City won the title. It's like, one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time. We spent 30 million quid on players, in contrast to teams like Chelsea who spent 200 million a year. And they managed to do something extraordinary."
Edgerton commented on what role humility played in the boys' win.
"I felt like Ulbrickson is interesting because I think they're aware they're not all an elite school within this story," he said. "They're all aware there's teams with a lot more money and a lot more history behind them and a lot more privilege. I think there's some kind of fighting spirit that comes from that. Humility is definitely a part of that. But I think there's a sort of fight that comes about, almost like a fierceness that says you're going to show these other guys. Because at the end of the day it comes down to skill, not money."
On a light note, Turner said after five months of training and getting banged up, this movie ranks "No. 1" on the list of bruises he's endured for a film role, describing it for all intents and purposes as a "professional sports outfit."
"It's a grueling sport, but it's a rewarding sport," he said. "We've managed to achieve something on personal levels that was shocking for us because we didn't think we were going to be able to do it, but extraordinary too."
"The Boys in the Boat" is in theaters December 25.