How Paul Newman Changed Dexter Darden's Life Forever

The Fight Night actor Dexter Darden is opening up about the influence the legendary actor Paul Newman had on his life as a child and the one piece of advice he will never forget.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Darden shared how he attended a camp for kids with special needs and blood disorders, hosted by Paul Newman. The camp, called The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, welcomed Darden because he had sickle cell anemia (which caused him to spend six months in the hospital), and he needed a refuge after his father passed away earlier that year.

Newman founded the camp in 1988 for children with serious illnesses to allow them to just be kids—to have fun and do what kids usually do. During a Stage Night at the camp, Darden performed a Michael Jackson impersonation on stage. When Newman saw the tape, he asked Darden to do fundraisers for the camp, which he then did for seven years.

A few years passed, and Darden kept in touch with Newman until his death in 2008. Darden told Newman that he wanted to become an actor, and Newman agreed that he had what it takes, but he just needed to figure it out. Newman left Darden with a crucial piece of advice that he remembers to this day:

Thanks to this, Dexter takes every audition very seriously and deeply immerses himself in the characters he wants to portray. If he nails the audition, the rest is smooth sailing. This dedication to his craft can be seen in the roles he plays, proving that the advice he received from Newman was truly a gift.

So go watch Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist and witness how Darden transformed into the legendary Muhammad Ali.