Nov. 16 (UPI) — Halle Berry discussed her MMA training for upcoming movie Bruised and how she worked with Valentina Shevchenko of UFC fame while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Berry is making her directorial debut with Bruised and stars as disgraced MMA fighter Jackie Justice as she tries to make a comeback while fighting for custody of her son.
“I trained for probably two and a half years,” Berry told Kimmel on Monday about how she learned multiple disciplines including Jujutsu, Taekwondo, Muay Thai and more.
Shevchenko, the current UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion, also stars in the film and trained with Berry. The actress said Shevchenko was hesitant at first to really hit her.
“At first she wasn’t connecting with her kicks and finally I said, ‘Val you got to do it. I have to feel it, I’ve never done this. That’s why you’re here like give it to me,'” Berry recalled.
“So she gave it to me and she broke two ribs,” Berry continued. “She was mortified.”
Bruised comes to select theaters on Wednesday and then Netflix Nov. 24.