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Local Martial Arts Academy Owner Excited To See Himself On The Big Screen In "Southpaw"

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Film crews set up on Brownsville Road in Carrick one year ago in front of a gym that doesn't exist, except in a film called "Southpaw."

An early scene in the William Penn Hotel spells doom for a character played by Rachel McAdams. An actor in the foreground actually owns a mixed martial arts academy in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Mark Shrader, of Monessen, plays the role of corner man for a boxer played by Jake Gyllenhaal. He met the star on the movie set in Pittsburgh.

"I walked up to him and I said, 'Hey Jake, nice to meet you, buddy,'" Shrader recalls. "I shook his hand and he said, 'Hey, what's up, man? How are you doing?' Super nice guy. And I did the same with Rachel. And she actually stood up and gave me a hug. And I went like, this is really good."

Mark says he got more "face time" than he expected. It doesn't hurt that he became buddies with the director, a Pittsburgh guy named Antoine Fuqua.

Some of the other local actors and extras who appear in the film held their own red carpet premiere Friday night at the Loews Theater at The Waterfront:

But Shrader saw a preview of the film in a local theater Thursday night.

"I got a part, a speaking part, in the movie, which was one line. But hey, it was great," Shrader said.

He says it's not just about boxing.

"Jake's up there, he's got the championship, and then his life falls apart. It's a really good film," said Shrader. "Without me giving any more away, you know, it's definitely worth it."

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