"Courage is stronger than steel."
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Kevin Durand, Anthony Mackie
Real Steel — Characters & Cast
Character Analysis
Charlie Kenton
Hugh Jackman
Motivation
At first, money and quick wins. Later, earning Max's respect and his own self-respect.
Character Arc
He starts as a selfish, broke former boxer who acts before he thinks. By the end he is a father who fights for his son, using his own boxing skills to guide Atom against Zeus.
Max Kenton
Dakota Goyo
Motivation
He wants his father to fight for him: "That's all I ever wanted!"
Character Arc
He starts as an estranged kid stuck with a father who doesn't want him. His faith in Atom and in Charlie pulls both of them back into the fight, and he finally gets the father he wanted.
Atom
Practical animatronic by Legacy Effects plus motion capture (fights choreographed by Sugar Ray Leonard)
Motivation
None stated. It copies the people who guide it, and the film hints at a spark of something more.
Character Arc
A discarded sparring robot that rises to face the champion Zeus. It loses on the scorecards but wins the crowd.
Cast
Explore More About This Movie
Dive deeper into specific aspects of the movie with our detailed analysis pages