Alexander Ludwig, one of the leads in Starz's upcoming wrestling drama Heels, wants to do away with one of the sport's biggest myths.
During the Heels Comic-Con@Home panel, the cast was asked about some common wrestling misconceptions they discovered while filming Season 1. "How much abuse these people take on a regular basis," Ludwig said. "It was really important that we did this justice. The only thing that is predetermined is the storyline but this is a full-on stunt performance. These guys use and abuse their bodies on a regular basis. There were some big injuries on this."
Ludwig's remark about injuries holds some serious weight, as his co-star Stephen Amell was temporarily sidelined from the production after a botched stunt. "While performing a stunt on the set of Heels this week, Stephen Amell sustained an injury to his back," Starz confirmed in October 2020. "Following a medical evaluation, he is now resting and recovering at home in anticipation of his return to set. Production continues as Stephen recuperates."
The legacy of the "wrestling is fake" myth stems from Ludwig's comment about the storyline being predetermined. As such, many have sought to discredit professional wrestling as a whole, despite the level of athleticism needed to perform grappling, submission and high-flying moves almost daily on a schedule that often affords the stars very little time off.
Heels was announced in August 2019 and follows brothers Jack (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig) -- who both perform for the Georgia-based, family-owned Duffy Wrestling League -- as they clash over the legacy of their late father. The series will also feature appearances from professional wrestling mainstays such as Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. Mike O'Malley serves as showrunner, with the pilot episode being directed by Peter Segal and written by series creator and Loki head scribe Michael Waldron.
Season 1 of Heels premieres Aug. 12 on Starz.
Source: YouTube