As one of the greatest boxers to ever play the sport, Muhammad Ali is an icon whose life and career have left a lasting legacy. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Ali began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. With 61 professional fights, Muhammad Ali ended his career, winning 56 (with 37 Knockouts) and losing 5.
Over the years, Muhammad Ali’s charisma, talent, and activism have made him a compelling figure for filmmakers. However, portraying Ali requires more than just physical resemblance, as actors go the extra mile to master his speech, confidence, and boxing style. Some portrayals in film or television focus on Ali’s early years, while others explore his struggles and triumphs. Here are 7 actors who portrayed Muhammad Ali in movies.
Darius McCrary in Don King: Only in America
Darius McCrary might not be a household name today, but in the late 1980s and 1990s, he was one of the most recognizable faces on television. McCrary played Edward “Eddie” Winslow on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters from 1989 to 1998. However, in 1997, he was cast as Muhammad Ali in HBO’s TV movie Don King: Only in America.
The movie centered around Don King’s (portrayed by Ving Rhames) career rise and how he became a famous boxing manager and fight promoter. Don King: Only in America was adapted from Jack Newfield’s book Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King. As a major career highlight, the film showcased Don King’s influence in promoting the iconic 1974 The Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshasa, Zaire. While Darius McCrary portrayed Muhammad Ali, former football player Jarrod Bunch was cast as George Foreman.
Terrence Howard in King of the World
Terrence Howard, famous for originally playing James “Rhodey” Rhodes in Iron Man (2008) and Lucious Lyon in Empire, has also portrayed Muhammad Ali. Howard was cast as a young Cassius Clay, who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali. The ABC TV movie King of the World (2000) focused on Clay’s early boxing career, leading up to his first heavyweight championship victory against Sonny Liston (portrayed by Steve Harris).
The movie is based on David Remnick’s biography and showcases the events that led to Muhammad Ali’s rise. Having won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics light heavyweight, Ali shocked the world by challenging Liston, who was a professional heavyweight boxing champion. Considered the underdog in the February 1964 bout, a 22-year-old Ali defeated Liston by technical knockout.
David Ramsey in Ali: An American Hero
In August of the same 2000, Fox released a similar TV movie, Ali: An American Hero, centered on the life and career of Muhammad Ali. The film focused on Ali’s early life, rise to boxing fame, and his impact beyond the ring. American actor David Ramsey was cast to portray Ali. The film begins with Ali’s 1960 Summer Olympic win and his win against Sonny Liston. It also showcased the controversy surrounding Ali’s joining the Nation of Islam and requesting a name change, with actor Joe Morton portraying Malcolm X. Its plot also showcased Ali’s conscientious objection to the Vietnam War and the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle match in Zaire.
Will Smith in Ali
Will Smith’s portrayal of Muhammad Ali is one of today’s most popular and most successful projects based on the boxer’s life and career. It is also the first feature-length film about Ali. Directed by Michael Mann, the 2001 biographical sports drama movie Ali focused on key moments in a decade of Muhammad Ali’s life from 1964 to 1974. Besides Will Smith, Ali packed a star-studded cast that included Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Jeffrey Wright, Jada Pinkett Smith, Joe Morton, and Giancarlo Esposito.
Pooch Hall in Chuck
The 2016 biographical sports drama Chuck (known as The Bleeder in the UK) centered around the rise and fall of Chuck Wepner, as well as his 1975 title fight with Muhammad Ali. Actor Liev Schreiber portrayed the titular character Chuck Wepner while Pooch Hall portrayed Ali. Wepner, famously known locally as the “Bayonne Bleeder,” secures a match against Muhammad Ali.
Although he’s the underdog, he beats expectations and survives beyond the third. Despite his loss to Ali, Chuck Wepner becomes a local hero and celebrity for going the full distance against Ali. His newfound fame soon becomes his undoing as he becomes addicted to drugs and subsequently imprisoned for drug possession with intent to sell. Although brief, Pooch Hall delivered a remarkable performance as Muhammad Ali.
Eli Goree in One Night in Miami…
Actor Eli Goree portrayed Muhammad Ali in Regina King’s 2020 feature directorial debut, One Night in Miami…. The film was created as a fictionalized account of an actual meeting between Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke. The meeting occurred on the night of Ali’s victory over Sonny Liston in 1964. Goree’s performance captured Ali’s charisma, confidence, and youthful energy. It was a pivotal moment before his conversion to Islam and changing his name to Muhammad Ali. Also joining the cast were Kingsley Ben-Adir (as Malcolm X), Aldis Hodge (as Jim Brown), and Leslie Odom Jr. (as Sam Cooke). It also starred Lance Reddick, who played Brother Kareem.
Sullivan Jones in Big George Foreman
As of 2025, the most recent portrayal of Muhammad Ali was in George Tillman Jr.’s 2023 biographical sports drama Big George Foreman. With the film’s plot fully centered on George Foreman (portrayed by Khris Davis), Ali’s character is included in a minor supporting role. Actor Sullivan Jones portrayed Muhammad Ali in Big George Foreman. The movie tells the life of Foreman from his younger days when he was riddled with anger issues to being trained to channel his inner demons into boxing. Big George Foreman also starred Forest Whitaker, who played Doc Broadus, Foreman’s trainer.
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