The 2001 biographical film about Muhammad Ali starring Will Smith is Ali.
Written, directed, and co-produced by Michael Mann, the film follows roughly a decade of Ali’s life, beginning with his 1964 victory over Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title and ending with his 1974 victory over George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle. Will Smith portrays both Cassius Clay and Muhammad Ali as the boxer’s public identity changes.
The film also covers Ali’s friendship with Malcolm X, his conversion to Islam, his opposition to the Vietnam War draft, and the political pressures surrounding his boxing career. It is a dramatic interpretation rather than a comprehensive biography; many major events from Ali’s life fall outside its timeframe.
Smith trained extensively for the role and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Jon Voight was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for playing broadcaster Howard Cosell. Another common mix-up is The Greatest, a 1977 film in which Ali played himself, rather than Smith’s 2001 film.