The actors portraying professional wrestlers on Starz's Heels series go beyond simply acting the part, but perform their own stunts on the mat.
Starz recently released a video of the stars from the upcoming show as they guide viewers in a fast-paced introduction to what they can expect from their characters' exploits in and out of the ring. "I think the fans will be excited to see that the... actors are doing a lot of their own stunts," said James Harrison, former NFL linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harrison was tapped to play Apocalypse in the series, having earned acting credits in CBS's S.W.A.T., among other titles. "Training for the show has been actually fun for me."
"Everyone's body has gone through a bit of a transformation," said Stephen Amell, who was cast as Jack Spade in 2019. Expanding on the point, writer and executive producer Michael Waldron urged viewers, "Look at these guys in the ring. They're unbelievable. They look great. They look like pro wrestlers. They're pulling off these stunts."
Set to take on the role of star wrestler Rooster Robbins, Allen Maldonado said, "I've really learned to find a real joy in wrestling, so I'm excited for every match to do whatever ridiculous stunts that they ask me, no question." Maldonado is a filmmaker as well as an actor with several film and TV credits, portraying Curtis in Black-ish and Bobby in The Last O.G.
According to Alexander Ludwig, known as Ace Spade on the show, "After doing this for god-knows-how-many months, there is nothing fake about this." Ludwig, a Canadian actor, came to the fore with his performance as Cato in The Hunger Games. Having been a competitive freestyle skier and taken on the adventure of skydiving, he spoke about the significance that wrestling can hold for people, saying, "It's their release... I would say that's what wrestling is for a lot of people. It's just another wonderful form of entertainment."
"You really don't know what's gonna happen, but it's gonna be loud and things are gonna break," said The Wire alum Chris Bauer, who will play talent scout and former wrestler Wild Bill Hancock. Taking place in rural Georgia, Heels provides a glimpse at small-town wrestling figures and fanatics in their true element. "It's taking you inside the wrestling ring in a way that you've never been before, and there's a lot going on behind the scenes that's just as compelling as what you're seeing there in that ring," said Waldron.
Heels was created by Michael Waldron and stars Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig, Alison Luff, Chris Bauer, Allen Maldonado, James Harrison, Kelli Berglund, Mary McCormack and David James Elliott. It is set to premiere Aug. 15 on Starz.
Source: YouTube