DDP On Hollywood Becoming More Hospitable For Wrestlers, Compares MJF To Ric Flair

Diamond Dallas Page has a new film coming out, and he recently talked about how the industry has become more open to wrestling talent crossing over and more. DDP spoke with Wrestling Inc promoting his role in the new film High Heat and also shared his thoughts on MJF and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On if Hollywood is “warming up” to wrestlers: “Well let’s put it like this, who’s the biggest star in the world? [The Rock.] Yeah, right. He changed the playing field. It used to be when rappers, they get into all these roles because they could play tough guy type things or whatever it was. And there’s some great actors, Ice T, like Ice Cube, Snoop’s really good … there’s a lot of great actors there. But wrestlers were kind of dogged for the longest time. Batista coming out the way he came out, if you look at some of his work, where he started and where he is, he’s right under Rock right now. I mean, Batista is as hot as you can be right now. And here’s another guy who’s 6’4” and 250 pounds.

“And then John Cena, who’s been delivering on all levels. If you look at Adam Copeland, aka Edge, what he did in Vikings, the guys can act. We’re acting live … I’ve had long promos, back then I literally wrote those promos. Now the WWE, they give them to you, which to me takes out a lot, because you really want to say, ‘Okay, here’s your bullet points, now make it magical.’ And that’s what Cena does. That’s what Roman does. That’s what Seth does. That’s what Cody does. That’s what the guys who really are at that top level, they could do it just like I could do it back then. But back then, no one gave me anything … So it’s yes, in answer to your question. Yes, it’s a much better time.”

On MJF: “When Cody turned me onto him, no one would know who he was. But when I got around him and I realized, wow, this kid. This kid has it at a different level. I’ve never really known anyone who understood a promo or a character like he did. If it was the ’70s, someone would’ve shot him already. He would’ve been stabbed multiple times. He’s at the perfect time, because besides Jericho, you don’t really see any guys who are so over be able to want to take the heat. Because when you get over, you want to take the accolades. MJF never wants to be a babyface. And he will be at some point. But it’ll be like Ric Flair. Like Ric Flair, people love to hate him. I mean, because nobody did it better than Flair. But I’ll tell you what, this kid can cut a promo as good as anyone ever. And everybody’s seen it. And what I tried to do with him was explain to him the dos and don’ts, because I took him under my wing to a certain degree, because I loved being around him, thought he was a great kid, and I knew he had a lot of potential. And very early on, I’m like, ‘Dude, just don’t put your foot in your mouth too hard.'”