Victoria Woods, better known online as BroRilla, has another issue with Claressa Shields, and this time Angela Bassett and Morris Chestnut are caught in the middle.
Video
The latest Claressa Shields biopic conversation started after Shields was asked during a recent interview who she would want to portray her in the next movie about her life. Shields named Bassett as her choice to play her older self and Morris Chestnut as the actor she would want portraying Papoose.Woods, who is GloRilla’s sister, was not impressed with either selection. In a video shared online, she questioned why Shields believed two established Hollywood stars would take on the roles and immediately went after her over the casting wish list.
Why in the f**k do you think Angela Bassett would play you? You really in here reaching out for real deal icons when h** you stupid as hell. You brain dead as a muthaf**ka,” she yelled into the camera. “Why the f**k would you think Morris Chestnut would play Pap? Look at Morris Chestnut and look at Pap. No comparison.”
Woods acknowledged that Bassett is physically fit like Shields, but her frustration appeared to go beyond whether the casting would make sense on screen. Woods called Bassett her “crush” and suggested that Shields mentioning the actress felt personal because of their already heated history.
“Go take your slow a** to sleep,” Woods stated.
Shields has actually mentioned Bassett as a possible choice before. During a previous appearance on “Club Shay Shay,” Shields was asked who she would want to play her if Hollywood made another film about her life. She praised Ryan Destiny’s performance before considering several other actresses, including Keke Palmer and Bassett.
The first Claressa Shields biopic arrived in theaters on Christmas Day in 2024. “The Fire Inside,” directed by Rachel Morrison and written by Barry Jenkins, starred Ryan Destiny as Shields and Brian Tyree Henry as her longtime coach Jason Crutchfield. According to PBS NewsHour, the film focused on Shields’ rise from Flint, Michigan, to becoming an Olympic boxing champion while also examining the struggles that continued after she reached the top of the amateur sport.
Destiny’s performance was widely praised, but the movie had a tougher run financially. According to Box Office Mojo, “The Fire Inside” earned approximately $8.1 million worldwide, including about $8.09 million domestically. Forbes reported that the movie carried a production budget of about $12 million before marketing expenses, meaning its theatrical gross did not surpass its reported production cost. The reception was much stronger critically, with Rotten Tomatoes currently listing the film at 93 percent from critics and 93 percent from verified audiences.
Shields has also made it clear that she believes there is more material for another Claressa Shields biopic. While promoting “The Fire Inside” in December 2024, she told PBS NewsHour that her story was not finished and said there would “probably” be a second installment.
Those later chapters would include her professional championship run as well as her relationship with Papoose, which explains why Chestnut entered the latest casting conversation.
Woods’ reaction also comes after she and Shields spent part of August trading personal insults online. Woods previously criticized Shields’ appearance, compared her to Serena Williams, and argued that Shields would never look better than Remy Ma. Shields responded during a livestream by calling Woods a “clout chaser,” attacking her appearance and arguing that people only knew her because of GloRilla.
Shields also questioned whether Woods had an identity separate from her famous sister and indicated during the exchange that she was willing to take their disagreement beyond social media. Woods pushed back and warned Shields about coming to Memphis.
Now, what began as an argument over looks, celebrity and family connections has found its way into the Claressa Shields biopic discussion. Shields may simply be fantasy casting the next chapter of her life, but Woods clearly does not believe Bassett and Chestnut are the right stars for the job.
