An Interview with Luiii on Uppercut

Jeff: Alright. Welcome to Action Reloaded, Luiii. Congrats on the new movie! The first question is, can you tell us about your role in Uppercut? What drew you to this character?

Luiii: Yes! I play Toni in Uppercut. She’s a young, privileged girl from Germany living in New York City. How I came to this role is a bit of a longer story because I’m also a producer on the movie. I was involved in the whole development process, which was an amazing experience but also really challenging. I’m really happy to be able to tell her story and embody this strong female character.

Jeff: Great! And how did you prepare for your role, especially in a film centered around boxing and personal resilience?

Luiii: I think there are two parts—on one hand, the physicality of boxing, and on the other, the mindset behind it. You should know that I’m a former professional athlete. I did a lot of sports growing up and still train almost every day. I’d say I’m in pretty good shape, but boxing is something totally different—it’s so complex!

I trained intensively with a German former world champion for two weeks. We had really tough one-on-one sessions, and it was incredibly demanding. I also attended various boxing classes in LA. That constant training really helped me get into the mindset of my character. And in a way, there’s a part of Toni that feels very close to me, so that helped as well.

Jeff: What was the most challenging part of playing your character? Did you relate to her in any way?

Luiii: Yeah! Like I just said, there are parts of Toni that I can relate to. I love her persistence—she doesn’t take “no” for an answer. Even though she’s a privileged girl, she still deals with struggles. I think that reflects a lot of our generation today.

We all have personal battles—maybe not world-changing ones, but things that matter to us as we try to find our place and purpose. The fact that Toni fights so hard for what she believes in is really inspiring to me. I try to do the same in my own life, and I think her story can be really inspiring for other young women too.

Jeff: Did you have to undergo any special training for this film? If so, what was that experience like?

Luiii: Yeah, like I mentioned earlier, I trained with a former world champion. It was intense—we trained for two or three hours a day, just one-on-one. It was tough, but I really loved going through that process.

One thing that made it a bit easier was that Toni isn’t a professional boxer at the start—she’s someone who wants to become one. So I didn’t have to look like an absolute pro from day one, just someone on the journey to becoming one. That gave me a little breathing room while still pushing myself hard.

Jeff: What surprised you the most about the physical or mental demands of a boxing film?

Luiii: The biggest challenge was switching between the physical and emotional aspects. We had these really intense dialogue scenes between Toni and Elliot, and then on the other hand, we had the demanding physicality of the boxing sequences. Jumping back and forth between those two modes was tough.

But at the same time, it was exciting! It wasn’t just one or the other—I got to combine them, and that made the experience even more rewarding.

Jeff: What was it like working alongside industry veterans like Ving Rhames and Joanna Cassidy?

Luiii: It was such an honor! Working with someone like Ving Rhames—he’s an icon in the industry. He’s worked with legends like Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino, so of course, I was nervous at first. But he made it so easy for me—he was so curious about the project, about me, and he was really engaged with everything.

I think what helped was that, in the movie, my character is a young German girl who wants to be trained by a legend. And in real life, I was a young German actress wanting to hold my own alongside an industry legend like Ving. That parallel made our on-screen dynamic feel really natural.

And Joanna Cassidy—she was amazing! She completely nailed her scenes. She’s such an inspiring woman, and I loved working with her.

Jeff: This film is about overcoming life’s toughest challenges. Have you faced any personal obstacles that helped you connect with the story?

Luiii: Absolutely. I think everyone faces their own challenges, big or small, and for me, overcoming them is important. You learn that a setback doesn’t mean you stop—you push through, keep going, and fight for what you believe in.

That’s something I learned from sports—you get injured, you heal, and then you start from scratch and keep going. It’s the same in filmmaking. As a producer on this film, I faced challenge after challenge. There was always something coming up. But you have to be persistent, find solutions, and never take “no” as the final answer.

Jeff: What has been the most rewarding aspect of being a part of Uppercut?

Luiii: Honestly, I can’t pick just one thing. This project comes straight from my heart—I put so much love and work into it. Now, just being able to share it with people and see how they connect with it, that’s what makes it all worth it. I hope the story inspires people. I’m just really thankful for everything.

Jeff: And last question—women’s empowerment and gender roles in sports are key themes in Uppercut. How do you think this film contributes to that conversation?

Luiii: I think it’s really important. It’s still uncommon to see a female lead in a boxing story. In Uppercut, we not only follow Toni’s journey as a boxer but also see her transition into becoming a female manager in a male-dominated sport.

Even when she finds success, she still struggles. And that’s the reality—even when we reach our goals, new challenges come up. I think that’s important for people to see, especially in today’s world where social media makes everything look effortless. But in real life, everyone struggles in their own way.

I hope this film shows that it’s worth fighting for your dreams, and that success doesn’t come easy—but it is possible if you keep pushing.

Jeff: That’s a great message. Luiii, thank you so much for your time. I can’t wait for people to see Uppercut!

Luiii: Thank you, Jeff! It was great talking to you.