AEW star Brodie Lee made his debut in March, after working in WWE for seven years as Luke Harper. In an exclusive interview with CBR in preparation for AEW's one-year anniversary show, Lee talked about some of the differences he has experienced between AEW and WWE.
"I've had many people tell me that they can tell how differently I feel just by watching me through a television screen," Lee told CBR. "And just what I'm emoting, I guess, from a pure energy level and happiness level."
Lee started his WWE career in November 2012 as a part of The Wyatt Family stable with Bray Wyatt and Erick Rowan. The group started on NXT before moving up to the main roster as a major heel faction. In 2017, he moved away from the Wyatt Family but remained in a tag team called The Bludgeon Brothers with Rowan, before finally receiving his WWE release in December 2019. Through it all, Lee said that there was one thing that remained constant throughout his time in WWE.
"In WWE, I think I spoke -- and I'll probably be proven wrong if people look back -- but I don't think I was on a live microphone, in-ring, for more than a minute at a time, maybe less," Lee said. "So to be given all the opportunities I'm given [in AEW]. I was, at first, a bit anxious, but once I realized that I just needed to remember to be a professional wrestler, remember to be Brodie Lee, remember to be who I am, and do what I do. When I knew I could do that, it became easy."
Lee also pointed out how different it is in AEW when it comes to cutting promos compared to WWE. He mentioned that he prepared to go to the ring and have two minutes to cut a promo in AEW. Lee said he asked Tony Khan what he wanted him to say, and he was surprised when Khan asked him for his opinion. Lee said he loves the creative freedom he gets in AEW, and described how no one is taking advantage of that behind the scenes.
"From there it goes, you know, we're following the stories, and nobody is going crazy and doing their own thing because people are looking at an end goal," Lee said. "It's like what I talked about earlier -- making history -- so it's awesome."
AEW Dynamite airs Wednesday nights on TNT at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.