How 30 Years of Pro Wrestling Prepared Chris Jericho for Hollywood
By Movieguide® Contributor
Chris Jericho explains why he’s taking on new roles and how his background in pro wrestling has prepared him for a new chapter in his career.
“The one thing about acting and Hollywood is that it comes in waves. I never really had the breakout role, but I’ve always had good ones,” Jericho told TV Insider. “I think in the past couple of years I’ve probably had the most parts ever.”
This year, he had the opportunity to move away from the horror genre and stretch his acting skills by starring in the dramas COUNTRY HEARTS and COUNTRY HEARTS CHRISTMAS.
“This opportunity came along to be the lead in COUNTRY HEARTS. I was thinking, ‘What kind of murder mystery is this? Am I the killer? What kind of vengeance is being bestowed on the villagers of the country,’” he recalled. “It ended up being nothing like that, but a dramatic part. It had almost a Hallmark Channel sort of vibe.”
“This was an offer, which is rare in Hollywood,” Jericho continued. “When I looked at the part, I realized it’s very dramatic, deep, and emotional. I thought is was great and something I’d been wanting to do. Being in a horror movie, that is what you would expect Chris Jericho to be in. But to be in a Christian-themed music drama where I play a father of daughters and have a wife. This project is really cool and something nobody would expect me to do. I’m always attracted to those opportunities.”
“I just like the story of family,” he said of his role. “That’s kind of what COUNTRY HEARTS is all about…It’s about the family and…that to me is uplifting.”
Jericho hopes that this lead role can help him transition into more mainstream acting and allow him to be viewed as more than just a meathead in the industry.
“This is a cool character. I like who he is and where he came from. This was a great way to stretch my acting chops and prove I could do this. Not just as a bodyguard number one performer. I can relate to Bones a thousand percent,” he said. “Not just he fact he was a touring musician. He reinvented himself, which is something I know about.”
Jericho still works in the wrestling world and shared how he balances that with acting and singing.
“So it’s all timing, you know? I mean, I couldn’t really do a lot of acting in the 2000s, 2010s because I was working four days a week with WWE, and then Fozzy [his band] comes into play,” he told Wrestle Zone.
The wrestler believes that his thirty years of entertainment experience – mainly through pro wrestling – has given him the skills and confidence to tackle any creative project. Rather than viewing getting older as a negative, he believes it is great because experience only comes through age.
“It’s easy now to say at 52, but age is just a number. I think both of us are in the best shape of our lives and know more on the experience level. We can still work at the highest of levels,” he said. “Who is putting a number on anything? The Rolling Stones just put out one of their best songs in 30 years, and Mick Jagger is 80. It’s all about how you are perceived and how you can deliver. If you can do that, you can still entertain people.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
Pro wrestling star Chris Jericho will star in the upcoming UPtv original movie COUNTRY HEARTS that is set to release in October.
The movie follows “the daughters of country music and rock & roll royalty who find themselves at a crossroads, torn between following their dreams of performing or helping their father run their up-and-coming horse breeding business,” according to Variety. “Between old flames, new love, best friends and family—they’ll all need the strength of each other to face the next steps.”
“The cats out of the bag…Stoked to be starring in #CountryHearts movie on the @UPtv Network!” Jericho tweeted.
While Jericho has landed acting roles in the past, he typically plays the villain. He was excited to get a chance to play the good guy for once.
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