Good as Jake Gyllenhaal was, it would have been interesting to see Eminem step into the role, especially as it was so heavily inspired by his life.

The rapper still stayed on in a small capacity, producing songs like 'Kings Never Die' for the movie's soundtrack.

Eminem was attached to the Antoine Fuqua movie until 2012, with Gyllenhaal eventually replacing him. So, while the answer to the question 'was Billy Hope real?' is technically a no, it's not like he's based on no one at all. He has made cameos as himself, however, in the likes of Funny People. While the rapper received great reviews for his performance in 8 Mile, he's been famously reluctant to take up another acting gig since, including turning down the lead role in Elysium. The boxing elements of the movie were supposed to be symbolic of his life journey, and Billy's relationship with his young daughter Leila (Oona Laurence) was meant to mirror that of Eminem and his daughter Hailie. Sutter was a great admirer of Eminem's music and wrote Southpaw as a spiritual successor/unofficial sequel to 8 Mile. The Jake Gyllenhaal boxing movie screenwriter Kurt Sutter wrote the film with Eminem in mind. While the Southpaw true story isn't technically true, it is inspired by rapper Eminem's life. Related: Fighting With My Family Cast Compared To Paige’s Real Family Southpaw Was Written For Eminem Here's who the character Billy Hope is based on, and the Southpaw true story fully explained. That being said, the character of Billy Hope was inspired by an actual person, who faced similar hardships and managed to come out on top. Technically, the Jake Gyllenhaal boxing movie isn't based around a real boxer's life. However, the Southpaw true story is actually stranger than fiction. While all good boxing movies see the protagonist beat seemingly undefeatable odds, the tragic story of Hope's losses throughout the movie seems like a real redemption story that very well could've happened. It's no wonder people ask the question 'was Billy Hope real?', considering Southpaw has all the makings of a genuine sports biopic like King Richard. Southpaw features an all-star cast alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, with names like Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, 50 Cent, and Miguel Gomez.

He hopes to get his life back on track, and in the end, must go up against the formidable Miguel 'Magic' Escobar. Hope loses his wife in an accident and custody of his child after becoming an alcoholic. Directed by Antoine Fuqua ( Training Day) and written by Kurt Sutter ( Sons of Anarchy), the Jake Gyllenhaal boxing movie follows a boxer named Billy Hope. The gritty Jake Gyllenhaal-led film left many to wonder about the Southpaw true story, and prompted further questions like 'was Billy Hope real?'. Here's the unlikely real-life inspiration behind 2015 boxing drama Southpaw, the movie about boxer Billy Hope starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Southpaw by Tabby R.H.