Summary

• McGregor's motivation to join Road House was fueled by Meryl Streep's negative MMA comments, driving him to prove her wrong.
• McGregor's MMA expertise blended well into his villainous role in Road House, showcasing his potential as an action star.
• McGregor's performance in Road House as a psychopathic villain received high praise, proving skeptics wrong about his acting abilities.

Prime Video's Road House marked the acting debut of mixed martial artist Conor McGregor, and he had an unusual motivation that led him to take the role of Knox. Joining the ongoing trend of remakes and reboots is Road House, the 1989 action film directed by Rowdy Herrington and starring Patrick Swayze as legendary (but deadly) bouncer James Dalton. The remake, directed by Doug Liman, stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Elwood Dalton and broke a couple of records, becoming Prime Video’s biggest release to date.

Road House introduced viewers to Elwood Dalton, a former UFC middleweight fighter who makes a living scamming fighters in the underground circuit. Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at the Road House in the Florida Keys community of Glass Key, but the job turns out to be a lot more dangerous than it seemed. Dalton soon comes across local crime boss Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen) and his henchmen, most notably psychotic enforcer Knox. Gyllenhaal and McGregor starred in Road House's best fight scenes, showing McGregor's potential as an action star, and this role had an unusual but powerful motivation.

Conor McGregor Was Motivated To Join Road House By Meryl Streep’s Negative MMA Comments

Meryl Streep Once Made Negative MMA Comments That Stuck With McGregor

Meryl Streep said Hollywood was “crawling with outsiders and foreigners”, and if they were kicked out, all that would be left to watch would be “football and mixed martial arts”, which she called “not the arts”.

Speaking to THR at the New York City premiere of Road House in March 2024, Conor McGregor revealed the unusual motivation to take the role of Knox, and it’s all about Meryl Streep. Back in 2017, while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award, Meryl Streep said Hollywood was “crawling with outsiders and foreigners”, and if they were kicked out, all that would be left to watch would be “football and mixed martial arts”, which she called “not the arts”. While her speech was well-received by attendees, UFC athletes didn’t take them lightly, among them Conor McGregor.

McGregor was able to bring his MMA expertise to Road House and blend it with an over-the-top, terrifying character like Knox.

McGregor defended MMA explaining it’s “the most beautiful form of art” and it’s one where you can’t make a mistake, so it’s “real artistry” for those in it. Streep’s comments pushed McGregor to prove her and those who share those comments wrong and joined Road House, explaining he had “maybe a little chip on my shoulder” and wanted to represent his sport and art in this different “arena”.

McGregor was able to bring his MMA expertise to Road House and blend it with an over-the-top, terrifying character like Knox, who knew no limits and was a worthy opponent to Gyllenhaal’s Dalton, and one that came close to getting rid of him. Meryl Streep’s comments most likely weren’t meant to diminish athletes and their hard work, though she failed to recognize that there are different types of art (and art, in the end, is subjective), but McGregor was able to take those comments and turn them into fuel for what’s now an unforgettable acting debut.

How Road House Proved Conor McGregor Has A Future As An Action Star

Conor McGregor Was Road House's Biggest Surprise

McGregor’s motivation and fire to prove skeptics wrong translated into an unforgettable performance as a psychopathic villain who had no limits and showed absolutely no fear or hesitation.

Road House has gotten mixed to positive reviews, with critics praising its action scenes and how it updated a cult classic for new generations. However, most praise from both critics and general audiences went to Gyllenhaal and McGregor’s performance. The latter is, undeniably, Road House’s breakout star, who some critics consider outshone Gyllenhaal. McGregor’s motivation and fire to prove skeptics wrong translated into an unforgettable performance as a psychopathic villain who had no limits and showed absolutely no fear or hesitation.

McGregor knew the type of energy required for the character and consistently channeled it throughout Road House, with Liman and company seizing his personality, reputation, and expertise as an athlete. It’s to be seen what’s next for Conor McGregor as an action star, but it’s fair to say he definitely proved skeptics wrong with his performance in Road House.

Source: THR.