Casting The Coach: The Boys In The Boat

The 2023 biographical sports drama film 'The Boys in the Boat' is based on the true story of the University of Washington rowing team and their quest for gold at the 1936 Olympics. The film was directed by George Clooney and stars Joel Edgerton as coach Al Ulbrickson Sr. and Callum Turner as rower Joe Rantz. Edgerton, who is known for his roles in Warrior and Zero Dark Thirty, portrays the rowing coach at the University of Washington, a position Ulbrickson held for three decades, winning 28 national championships.

Joel Edgerton plays Al Ulbrickson, the rowing coach at the University of Washington

Edgerton, an Australian actor, is known for his roles in Star Wars, Warrior, Zero Dark Thirty, and The Great Gatsby. In The Boys in the Boat, he portrays a coach who seems to derive no pleasure from his job, always wearing an angry, blustery expression. However, Edgerton suggests that behind these grimaces are individuals who care too much, reminding him of the relationships between fathers and sons.

The film, directed by George Clooney, showcases the athletes' grueling athletic training and their quest to compete and excel. The cast underwent extensive rowing training to realistically portray the Olympic crew, with Clooney noting that by the end of filming, they had achieved impressive synchronisation in their strokes.

The Boys in the Boat premiered in December 2023 and received mixed reviews from critics. While some praised its inspirational story and solid craftsmanship, others found it predictable and lacking in impact. Nonetheless, it grossed $55 million at the box office, demonstrating its appeal to audiences worldwide.

Ulbrickson won 28 national championships during his three decades as Washington's rowing coach

In the 2023 film *The Boys in the Boat*, actor Joel Edgerton portrays Al Ulbrickson, rowing coach at the University of Washington. Ulbrickson won 28 national championships during his three decades as Washington's rowing coach. His success as a coach was built on a foundation of humility and hard work. He was a fierce competitor with an old-school attitude and modern methods.

Ulbrickson was just 24 years old when he took over as head coach of the Husky crew program in 1928, having rowed for the University of Washington himself as a student. He inherited a powerhouse team from his mentor, Rusty Callow, but initially struggled against their West Coast rivals, the University of California at Berkeley, coached by Ky Ebright. Ulbrickson's early years as a coach were marked by disappointing results and challenges with the weather and his squad's performance. However, by the end of 1929, the team's fortunes began to change, and they finished second at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) championships.

Ulbrickson was known for his stern and formidable exterior, which he cultivated to command respect from his rowers, who were only slightly younger than him. He wore a business suit, necktie, and a fedora to practice sessions, projecting an image of authority and professionalism. He set uncompromising standards for his team, forbidding swearing, smoking, and drinking, and emphasising the importance of solid academic standing. Ulbrickson's natural poker face made him an enigma to sportswriters, who dubbed him the ""Dour Dane" due to his Nordic heritage and solemn expression.

Despite his quiet and reticent nature, Ulbrickson was a master strategist and innovator. He surrounded himself with a trusted support system, including his classmate and freshman coach, Tom Bolles, and boat builder and rowing philosopher, George Yeomans Pocock. Ulbrickson formed a long and profitable partnership with Pocock, who took on the role of the "good cop" to Ulbrickson's "bad cop". While Ulbrickson was stern and demanding, Pocock employed a more benign and encouraging approach.

Ulbrickson's methods were a mix of old-school discipline and modern techniques. He logged detailed observations of his crews' training sessions, tracking and analysing performance data, and he stressed the importance of nutrition and stroke rates. He was also ahead of his time in his understanding of the importance of synchronisation and teamwork in rowing. He knew that the individual sacrifices of his rowers had to be channelled into a shared endeavour for the team to succeed.

Ulbrickson's dedication and innovative coaching style paid off, and his Washington crews dominated the sport for decades. They won six Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships, including four sweeps of the varsity, junior varsity, and freshman titles in the same year. The pinnacle of his coaching career came in 1936 when he guided the "Boys in the Boat" to a gold medal at the Berlin Olympics. This achievement cemented his legacy as one of the greatest collegiate rowing coaches of all time.

Edgerton trained with coach Iva Boteva of iRow Fitness to portray a rowing coach

In preparation for his role as rowing coach Al Ulbrickson in the 2023 film 'The Boys in the Boat', Joel Edgerton trained with coach Iva Boteva of iRow Fitness. iRow Fitness Studio was founded in 2009 by Boteva, a private rowing coach based in Los Angeles, California. She is passionate about travel and event planning, and her interest in rowing began when she was a child growing up in Bulgaria.

Boteva briefly trained Edgerton to help him portray a rowing coach convincingly. In an interview with NPR, Mandalit del Barco, who took a lesson with Boteva, described the experience:

> "I did know. And during my interview with Turner and Clooney, I mentioned my own experience. For, like, a few months, I was on the crew team at UC Berkeley, Cal Bears.

> 'You were – ah,' [Clooney said].

> 'So you know. Did we do a good job?' [Turner asked].

> 'Great. And they set us up to succeed. They gave us the best of the best, and it's the closest that I ever experienced to being part of a professional sports team,' [I replied]."

Boteva's lesson with del Barco focused on the fundamentals of rowing, including how to square and feather the oar, extending the arms and legs, and how to finish each stroke. By the end of the lesson, del Barco was "rolling smoother and faster", although she noted that she was still far from the precision, speed, and strength of an Olympian.

To prepare for their roles, the cast of 'The Boys in the Boat' underwent rigorous athletic training to convincingly portray the U.S. Men's National Team competing in the 1936 Olympics. In addition to learning the technical skills of rowing, they also had to build their endurance and stamina to row together in unison, which is crucial to winning races.

The cast of 'The Boys in the Boat' underwent gruelling athletic training to appear believable as Olympic athletes

The cast of The Boys in the Boat underwent gruelling athletic training to convincingly portray Olympic athletes. The film, directed by George Clooney, is based on the true story of the University of Washington rowing team and their quest for gold at the 1936 Olympics.

British actor Callum Turner, who plays the main character, Joe Rantz, described the training as a "gigantic task". For five months, the cast trained for four hours a day, working out for an additional hour on top of that. They had nutritionists, physios, and personal trainers, and by the end of their training, they were able to row like "real champs".

The cast had to learn the skill and technique of rowing, as well as how to row in unison, which is crucial to winning. "You all have to be in complete unison," Turner said. "There's no hiding and if one person is out by a millimeter, the boat suffers."

Clooney recalled the first time he saw the cast attempt to row together: "We could put eight kangaroos in a boat, and it would have been more coordinated... with their little arms. Exactly." But by the end of filming, the cast had built up their skills and endurance to the point where they were able to get their strokes per minute to the same level as the actual Olympic crew they were portraying.

The Boys in the Boat was released in December 2023 and grossed $55 million at the box office. It received mixed reviews from critics, who described it as a feel-good film that was relaxing and predictable.

The film is based on the 2013 book of the same name by Daniel James Brown

The 2023 film "The Boys in the Boat" is based on the 2013 book of the same name by Daniel James Brown. The book chronicles the true story of a nine-man crew team from the University of Washington that overcame long odds to compete in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and won the gold medal. The film adaptation, directed by George Clooney, brings this inspiring tale to life on the big screen.

The book "The Boys in the Boat" is a rich and nuanced narrative that not only recounts the crew team's journey but also provides a glimpse into the personal lives of its members, particularly Joe Rantz. Rantz, who was left to fend for himself at a young age after being abandoned by his family, found solace and purpose in rowing. Brown's book delves into Rantz's experience growing up during the Great Depression and his determination to pursue a dream that seemed out of reach.

The film "The Boys in the Boat" captures the essence of Brown's book, showcasing the struggles and triumphs of the crew team as they pursue their Olympic dream. It highlights the hard work, dedication, and camaraderie of the athletes, including Rantz, who is portrayed by actor Callum Turner in the film. The film also stars Joel Edgerton as coach Al Ulbrickson, who played a pivotal role in guiding the team to success.

Through its adaptation of Brown's book, the film "The Boys in the Boat" not only entertains but also pays homage to a remarkable chapter in sports history. It brings to life the story of a group of young men who defied the odds and found hope in the face of adversity. By doing so, the film inspires and captivates audiences, showcasing the power of human resilience and the triumph of the underdog.

The process of bringing "The Boys in the Boat" from the page to the screen was a challenging yet rewarding journey. Clooney and his cast underwent extensive athletic training to portray the Olympic athletes convincingly. The actors endured months of grueling practice to master the technique and synchronization essential to the sport of rowing. Their dedication to perfecting their craft reflects the very spirit of the story they were chosen to tell.

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