Willie Nelson is ‘Fighting with Anger’

Country music icon Willie Nelson is executive producing and starring in a new indie martial arts and gunplay flick as a hitman who mentors a young female assassin (Kelli Fleming). What folks may not know is that the 75-year-old singer, songwriter and sometime actor is a black belt in Taekwondo and an action film fan to boot.

In FIGHTING WITH ANGER Ray (Fleming) is a young, beautiful, secret, and deadly assassin. Her skill and anger are fueled by her past and a mysterious young man who is the focus of her life. Will (Nelson) is an aging, but experienced hit man who acquires a peculiar interest in Ray after he assigns her to a new series of jobs. Their stories intertwine through the mysterious antique trade of the Korean government and the assassin world of a paid job. When her last job goes terribly wrong and an innocent woman is killed, Ray is faced with the pain of her past and a new nemesis who emerges from the shadows.

FIGHTING WITH ANGER is billed as a “non-stop martial arts action thriller filled with gripping mystery, blazing gun battles, and fast and furious hand-to-hand combat.” It was completed in 2007 on a modest $2 million budget. It’s directed and choreographed by Sam Um, a longtime friend of Nelson who has also trained in martial arts with the country legend. The film has already gained some notice after winning Best Action Film and Best Original Song at the 2007 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival in L.A.

Writing for IFC Magazine, Stuart Alson conducted an interview with Willie Nelson, primarily to discuss his work on FIGHTING WITH ANGER. Below is an excerpt.

IFQ: Is FIGHTING WITH ANGER the first film that you executive produced?

Willie Nelson: Not really. I’ve done a couple more. We did THE RED HEADED STRANGER, which I served as executive producer.

IFQ: A majority of the time, you are involved with big studio pictures, but FIGHTING WITH ANGER is an independent picture.

WN: FIGHTING WITH ANGER is very independent.

IFQ: I watched FIGHTING WITH ANGER and you do a lot of fighting in it. How long have you been studying martial arts?

WN: Practically all of my life. At one time or another, I started out as a kid doing wrestling, jui-jitsu, judo, kung fu, and taekwondo. I’ve been involved in some form of martial arts all of my life.

IFQ: Why do you like martial arts? Is it just for peace of mind?

WN: I think it is good physically, mentally and spiritually and keeps you busy and keeps you going.

IFQ: Also, didn’t you do the music on FIGHTING WITH ANGER?

WN: Yes, a couple guys around Austin and I worked on the soundtrack a little bit.

IFQ: Do you feel that you get a little more freedom with independent films?

WN: You have more freedom, but on the other side, you are giving up the financial end.

It’s a toss up. Sometimes when you use big studios’ money, you really don’t get to do it the way you want to.

FIGHTING WITH ANGER is scheduled for release on DVD August 19th courtesy of Trinity Home Entertainment.