Cinderella Man is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti. It tells the true story of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock, who was dubbed "The Cinderella Man" by journalist Damon Runyon. The film marked the second collaboration for Howard and Crowe, succeeding A Beautiful Mind (2001).