'Public Enemies' Cast Gets A Taste Of Don Frye & MMA

Written by Samantha L. Johnson

Don Frye explains his role in the newly-released "Public Enemies" as “luck of the Irish.”

Frye has known Michael Mann (Director of "Public Enemies") for years. That relationship led to Frye being cast as Texas Ranger, Clarence Hurt. The name is too fitting.

On a cast full of actors from the A-list to D-list, Frye fit right in.

“[Frye is] a character, one of a kind type of guy,” said Adam Mucci, who plays FBI Agent Harold Reinecke in the movie. “He’s intimidating, but definitely seemed like the guy you’d want in your corner. A no ‘B.S.’ type of guy.”
 
That “intimidating” character and his MMA background led to some entertaining nights while filming.

“A couple of the nights in Little Bohemia, we were playing around and a couple of the boys took a nap,” Frye said, as he tried to act nonchalant about choking out fellow actors and stunt men on the set.

Once actors in the movie learned of Frye’s past career, they couldn’t help but be curious and want to “play around.” One-by-one, Frye demonstrated to the willing men how you can submit somebody via a choke hold (if performed correctly). No one got hurt and Frye later described it as, “boys playing in the woods.”

Frye will look to use his past MMA experience as he takes on a confirmed opponent this August on an M-1 promotion card. “The Predator” Frye will face “King Mo” Lawal; Lawal is 16-years Frye’s senior. Frye commented on his age, and that of his friends who are in the business that have kept going at previously-unheard-of-ages.

“Age is just a number,” Frye said. “These guys [Randy Couture and Mark Coleman] are real athletes they can whoop most of these fighters out there.”

This August, Frye will look to “whoop” on “King Mo” and really prove that age is, in fact, just a number. Keep checking MMADieHards.com for confirmation of the bout.