Heels stars Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig didn’t specifically try and model their in-ring work after anyone specific, but they certainly put the work in to create an authentic product on their show.
Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig recently spoke with WrestleZone ahead of the series premiere of Heels on STARZ on August 15, and were asked about the in-ring training they went through for their roles as Jack and Ace Spade, two brothers that star as pro wrestlers for the fictional Duffy Wrestling League. Ludwig noted Amell had some previous experience (he’s worked matches in WWE, Ring Of Honor and at ‘All In’) but said they both trained from the start and had plenty of help to ensure the final product was up to standard.
AL: “When we signed on for the show, we immediately started training. Obviously, Stephen [Amell] had done some wrestling before so I was able to lean on him but also I leaned on some friends that I had in the industry that I just met through my time as an actor like Adam Copeland, Edge, so I was able to ask him questions but we were surrounded by an incredible group of pro wrestlers who are currently wrestling now and they just kind of helped us learn the ropes for a lack of a better term. Training with Chavo Guerrero in Los Angeles for months before we started shooting, who’s obviously from a very prolific wrestling family and then we went to Atlanta and when we weren’t in the gym, we were in the ring and when we weren’t in the ring, we were filming. It was this constant thing but I wouldn’t say that we modeled it after anybody, it was just these bits and pieces that we learned and we wanted to do right by the wrestling community. I have a tremendous respect for the athleticism that goes into this sport, after five minutes in the ring I was gassed. I can’t imagine a full run.”
SA: “I didn’t model myself after anyone in particular but I threw in some nods to people. In the third episode I throw in a classic Ric Flair face plant, which is one of my favorite moves that he did when I was growing up that I love, when he was out on his feet and then he’d just tumble face first down on the ring. I didn’t have the guts to just go face first, I went down to a knee then I went down, I would’ve broken my nose like an idiot.”
Ludwig added that his character, Ace Spade’s finishing maneuver, was also a bit of a tribute to Shawn Michaels.
Related: Watch: STARZ Releases A Sneak Peek For The Season Premiere Of ‘Heels’
Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig didn’t model their characters after anyone specific, but still included nods to legends like @RicFlairNatrBoy.
Ludwig added they had a solid group to learn from on set, and cited his relationship with Edge from the show ‘Vikings.’ #HeelsSTARZ pic.twitter.com/g3x9AiR24Q
— WrestleZone (@WRESTLEZONEcom) August 6, 2021
