Inspired by Universal’s blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise, Fast & Furious: Spy Racers returns to Netflix this Friday, August 13, as the crew embarks on a world-saving mission in the South Pacific.
It’s a race against time as the Spy Racers rush to rescue a kidnapped Tony Toretto only to discover that he has inexplicably lost the ability to do what he loves most - drive! The crew bands together on a mission traversing land, air and sea in the South Pacific to foil the dreaded arms dealer Sudarikov's dangerous plans. But will Sudarikov’s secret weapon prove too powerful for the Spy Racers and ultimately succeed in endangering the world? Luckily, they're going to have some help!
Former WWE Superstar Paul Wight (FKA The Big Show) plays Palindrome in Fast & Furious: Spy Racers, and the tough as nails agent will be joining Tony's crew and Ms. Nowhere on this adventure. Last week, we spoke to Paul to discuss his role in the animated series, his favourite cars, how the perception of pro wrestlers in Hollywood has changed, and a possible live-action debut in the Hobbs & Shaw sequel.
He also talks to us about signing with All Elite Wrestling, and those big rumours that CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and even the Nature Boy, Ric Flair, could be heading to AEW in the coming weeks.
Paul was a blast to speak to, and we'd highly recommend checking him out in action as part of Spy Racers crew on Netflix this Friday, as there's clearly a lot of exciting things to come for Palindrome...
You’ve performed in front of tens of thousands of wrestling fans and had your own sitcom, but as an actor, what’s it been like for you to step into the recording booth?
It’s been great for me. This Palindrome character has been really incredible for me as an actor too. I don’t get the chance to do a lot of voiceover work, but he’s really had a lot more character arcs than anything I’ve done before. From how he started in the series as a very driven, by-the-books, get his man - or girl - kind of guy to having more dimensions and becoming a mentor for the younger kids in Spy Racers and developing a relationship with Ms. Nowhere. As an actor, being able to speak Russian...I know it sounds crazy! I’m a poor country kid from South Carolina, so I’ve done a really good job of ditching my southern accent (which pops out now and again), but having the chance to speak fluent Russian has been extremely challenging. At the same time, it's been very rewarding. When I was first reading the script, I was saying, ‘Oh my gosh, how the heck am I going to be able to do that?!’ You challenge yourself as an actor and performer, but Netflix got me a great dialogue coach to work with and ‘Boom,’ we got in the studio and knocked this out. It was just one of those most rewarding things I’ve had a chance to do in my limited acting career. It was a lot of fun to push the envelope of what people think you can do and what you think you can do as a performer. There’s an old saying, ‘If you think you can and you think you can’t, you’re right twice,’ so Palindrome has really boosted a lot of my confidence as an actor and performer.
Palindrome is an intense dude, but he is starting to build relationships with characters like Tony and Mr. Nowhere. Do you see him softening a little heading into these episodes, and what did you enjoy most about where his story goes in this season?
I think the biggest thing for Palindrome is that he’s gotten more three-dimensional. He was a little one-dimensional in the beginning, and those are roles I’ve been used to playing for some years. Because of my size and the way I look, I’m going to get a lot of one-dimensional characters. I’m the big scary guy, the bad guy...you can’t help that most people judge a book by its cover. That look still gets me opportunities, but it’s hard as an actor to say, ‘Look, I can do more than this. I can give you more depth and can actually act!’ Where Palindrome has softened up a little and become a better mentor to Tony Toretto and the other kids, not to mention the relationship with Ms. Nowhere...yeah, she frustrates him a little bit because Palindrome has a certain way of doing things and is what I’d call a straight arrow guy. Ms. Nowhere really thinks outside the box and uses all the tools necessary; she’s not afraid to change plans mid-stream when a better opportunity pops up. I think that frustrates Palindrome, but at the same time, he’s learned to trust those around him. That goes back to the main theme in the Fast & Furious franchise and Spy Racers: family.
You can’t do it all by yourself and sometimes have to let down that guard and trust in other people. That’s a lesson we have to do in life all the time by putting our faith in other people and trusting them. There are a lot of things we can’t do on our own. To see that character arc for Palindrome and to see where he’s come from to where he is and where it’s going, I’m really excited about these opportunities. It’s an amazing animated series. The work that they’ve done with the technology and how these adventures are skewed towards younger audiences. They keep it about the cool gadgets and fast cars, but there’s so much diversity for every young man or woman to find someone they identify with. That’s one of the things that appealed to me most about the Spy Racers franchise. There are people from all walks of life, but you still have family. I think that’s important, especially nowadays, to show people that there's a way to be who you are, be true to who you are, and find those that accept you for that. I know it sounds like a lot of moral pressure for an animated series, but I think the Spy Racers team has done a great job of making that an inclusive environment.
We’ve now seen you, The Rock, and John Cena all join this Fast franchise, and having spent the past few years focusing on acting roles, do you feel the perception of pro wrestlers in Hollywood has changed for the better?
Absolutely. You can’t help but thank the guys that have made it possible. You look at The Rock. He’s changed how the world looks at professional wrestlers and elevated their drawing ability. Whether it’s movies or TV, studios invest in talent to motivate people to buy tickets or tune in. They’re starting to understand that with pro wrestlers, there’s a built-in audience that will gravitate to them and that they can pull outside audiences in. People who don’t even watch wrestling know who Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Buatista are. Dave has had so much success with the films he’s been in like Guardians, and he’s not afraid to poke fun of himself and at the same time be the serious badass that he is. All those guys that have success make it easier for guys like me to have that conversation with producers and showrunners and casting directors and say, ‘I can do this part. I have the skillset and professionalism to show up on time. I can execute how you want this character done and, oh, by the way, I also bring a fanbase with me.’
The perception has definitely changed and the product has evolved too over the years. Twenty-something years ago, people would s[racial slur] a little if they knew you were a pro wrestler because they had a different perception of what that was. Now, they understand that we’re very dedicated people to building brands, taking entertainment seriously, and I think that’s the biggest surprise for a lot of people who get to work with guys like us. The level of professionalism we maintain surprises them, but we have to in our own industry to be successful. We have to hold ourselves to a higher accountability. Wrestling is all about working with egos and that’s where you learn it’s sometimes not about your idea, but the best one for the angle or show. I think guys who have achieved success in pro wrestling, it’s a natural evolution for them to achieve success in Hollywood because they understand about working with other people, being respectful, pushing themselves, and leading by example. Believe me, every day, I see the success guys like The Rock, John, and Dave have, and every day, I’m thanking them. They give guys like me an opportunity to do more as well. The entire industry has changed its outlook on pro wrestlers, thankfully.
On another note, I’m a huge wrestling fan, and now you’re part of AEW, I’d love to know what you think about these big CM Punk and Daniel Bryan rumours that have been dominating headlines for weeks now?
I’m excited about it. I don’t really know. I’ve heard, of course, some backstage scuttlebutt. I’m friends with Daniel Bryan and CM Punk both. I think if either one of those guys made a serious commitment to come to AEW, they would blow the roof off the industry. I think both of those guys are incredible talents and they have a lot to offer any company that they join. Both of them will fit and like how they’re treated much more in AEW than they will anywhere else. There’s a lot more freedom for guys like Daniel Bryan and CM Punk to really excel and give the fans what they love most about them. There’s very little micromanaging in AEW. There’s a lot of trust in your professionalism and knowing who you are as a talent and what you bring to the table. There’s a lot of freedom to really amplify that and bring out the most for the fans. Personally, from where I’m sitting, I think it would be an incredible opportunity for Phil and Daniel to come here to AEW. If they do, that’s fantastic. The fans are excited and they want to see them, so like most of the fans, I’m sitting back with bated breath to see what happens. I’m more than happy to chokeslam or chop or knock out either one of those two guys [Laughs]. I’m looking forward to the opportunity too! [Laughs]
It’s crazy to me that WWE has been releasing guys like Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman and even Ric Flair, so for you being in AEW as a commentator and competitor, it must be exciting for you to think about the possibility of them being people you’ll see there and potentially step into the ring with again?
Absolutely. There has been an influx of talent. For whatever reason, WWE has gone in a different direction with what they’re doing as a company. Their business line is beyond me and they do their own thing and it works for them. They’ve had great success with it. The biggest difference that I can relate to anyone outside is that AEW is a wrestling company, but also one dedicated to the talent. It’s about the fans, but also about the talent versus about being just about the company. We have talents who are available and if they make their way to AEW, it will result in an incredible amount of freedom for them to continue entertaining the fans and to continue to grow. Anyone now who has been in this business long enough is smart enough to see where momentum is going and you’ve got to agree that it’s with AEW. It’s got a great groundswell of support from fans who are really into the product. The storylines are unique. They have a different flavour and excitement about them. I made the transition myself because after four decades, I left as I could see the writing on the wall of where professional wrestling was headed. For those other talents like Bray Wyatt, Braun, Ric Flair, and all those guys, there’s always an opportunity for people of that calibre to be a part of AEW and contribute. That’s the thing with wrestling. You never say never. It would be great to see those guys come in and be it’d be great to see some of the young AEW talent to get the chance to interact with guys who have seen that massive stardom and how that moulds your performances and in-ring psychology. They can learn from that and prepare these young AEW talents for what’s coming in the future with opportunity to grow and be a globally impactful company.
Going back to this franchise, I feel like "Hobbs & Shaw & Palindrome" would make for a real badass, testosterone fuelled movie…
[Laughs] You know what, at this point, honestly, for me: Hell yeah! I’d be excited to do anything. I’d be excited to work on any of those platforms with any of those guys with that success level. Part of success is the willingness to take opportunities and to make the most of those given. If I get the chance to work with Dwayne Johnson on film with Jason Statham, absolutely! I would probably pass out coffee too to get that opportunity. It would be the same thing to work with Vin Diesel on Fast & Furious or any of those projects...I’ll pass out coffee there too! ‘What do you guys need?’ That’s the goal in the long run; to get the chance to find a role, to execute that role successfully, have fun doing it, find new friendships, and create a new brand to bring your fanbase over to see you perform in another light they’ll enjoy. That’s to do anything I can to keep from getting a real job [Laughs]. The more those opportunities happen, the more I’ll take them, but I think in the long run, I’m sitting in a pretty good spot. I don’t have the pressures Vin Diesel or Dwayne Johnson or John Cena or Dave Buatista have. I can pursue my acting career and take the opportunities I can get, enjoy them, and hopefully, the fans enjoy them as well. Those guys are the big stars. I’m just happy to be here.
I know when you were talking about season 4 you were excited to have had the chance to speak Russian, but were there any similarly memorable moments working on these episodes?
I had a lot of fun this season just working on some of the stuff with Ms. Nowhere and developing that relationship. I don’t want to tell too many tales outside of school, but there’s a lot more of a character arc for Palindrome where he’s becoming a lot more three-dimensional. There’s not too much of a language challenge, but this is more of developing who he is as a person and his relationship with Ms. Nowhere moves forward. Other than that, there was nothing I did that made me sweat as much as the Russian! The Russian stuff had me sweating for a while before I went into the recording studio because I didn’t want to drop the ball. I like those challenges. The writers know, so if I get to do another season of Spy Racers, I’m sure they’ll throw some Russian in there or maybe some Mandarin Chinese to really stress me out [Laughs].
We talked about you possibly joining the movies earlier, but if you were to join that franchise, what car would you choose to head into action driving?
Well, it’s funny, I have some hot rod cars myself. [John] Cena and I were car collectors in the wrestling business; he got more into the Euro stuff and got out of the muscle cars. I still have some of those. The only one I have left is a ‘66 Hemi Charger that’s one of nine. It’s all black. I’ve had a ‘71 ‘Cuda Convertible. I’ve had a ‘71 Super Bee, a ‘72 Road Runner. I’ve had a Bentley, a Mercedes Twin Turbo B-12 Coupe which is like putting toothpaste back in a tube with me getting in and out. Right now, I have the the 2005 two-door Viper Truck that’s got 15,000 miles on it. That transmission in a two-door pick up truck is my fun little drive. I don’t drive as much as I should. I get yelled at all the time that I need to drive it more, but sometimes, I like sitting back and looking at it too.
Finally, I know everyone is excited about you and Shaq eventually squaring off, but having spent time calling the action on AEW Dark: Elevation, are you starting to put together a mental list of new talent you’d be excited to wrestle?
Absolutely. One I’m blown away by, and I can say this hopefully without ruining kayfabe, but Kenny Omega is amazing. Just to watch him work in the ring and the way he hustles and bumps and feeds...the guy is really next level talent, especially as a heel with the way he works. The Young Bucks are brilliant. I’ve really enjoyed watching those guys in the tag team division, especially with their heel turn. It’s been great. Hangman Adam Page is just a red hot babyface in the making; this guy can definitely carry that AEW Championship and do something with it. The Murderhawk Lance Archer...he’s really, really come into his how with that whole Murderhawk gimmick. He’s intense in the ring and wrestles a lot bigger than he is. I really like his presence in the ring.
Miro is doing fantastic as God’s favourite champion. I worked with him before back when he was Rusev and to see him becoming his own and the way he works in the ring, I’d love to have another run with Miro. Darby Allin is probably my top pick if I was a heel. If in some point in my career I could turn heel - I know that sounds crazy that I could turn heel...it just depends on the day of the week, I guess [Laughs]. Hopefully, my character won’t be quite so schizophrenic in AEW as he was in WWE where he changed every five minutes, but if I was a heel working with somebody like Darby Allin, he would just be a gift. Anyone who is a heel right now that has a chance to work with Darby, that’s the perfect babyface to work with right now. He exemplifies what a babyface is today. He’s a little eccentric, a little different, but he’s just in your face everytime coming back for more. I really appreciate him. Some of the other talent in AEW are coming along. Jungle Boy is another babyface you’d love to work with. I always tease him and call him “grizzled” because I think he’s had the most matches in AEW. It’s like 53 or 54 so far which is crazy when he’s as young as he is, but he’s got really good ring presence and he’s another one I think in the right program could really accelerate to that next level superstar babyface with the right heel behind to push him. There’s a lot of younger talent there I’ll hopefully get a chance to work with like Hobbs and Luchasaurus, this incredibly athletic big monster.
For me, I see a lot of potential line-ups. It’s funny, one of the things I tell the younger guys and gals is, ‘When you’re alone doing stuff, whether you’re cleaning or doing laundry, driving down the road, or sitting on the couch; have matches with people in your head you might be working with someday.’ That’s one of the secrets to being a success later is having scenarios in your mind about people you want to work with. You have to be excited about the product, the talent. Having those matches in your head where one’s a heel and one’s a face, the spots that will happen, and the finishes are always good things to put in your mind so if you do end up in a program with someone, you already have an idea of what they do and you understand them and how to compliment yourself with them and tell a better story. It’s funny that you ask that, but there are a lot of guys I’m ticking off in my head I want to wrestle. I can keep myself busy for the next three or four years [Laughs].