Hollywood played host to the premiere of new movie The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale.

The film is based on the life of boxer Irish Micky Ward, played by Wahlberg, and has taken nearly five years to make it to the big screen.

Wahlberg said: "The fight to get the movie made was very much like Micky's fight to become the man that he needed to become.

"To do all of those things and to do the impossible and win the title."

Christian Bale plays Ward's brother, Dickie Eklund, who was also a professional boxer, but went of the rails when he started using drugs.

There are talks that Bale could receive a Best Supporting Oscar nomination for his role in the film.

The Fighter is due to be released in the UK February 2011.