Darren Aronofsky talks "The Wrestler"
The following one-on-one interview with director Darren Aronofsky was
conducted by Wrestling-Online.com's Los Angeles correspondent Joseph
Palreiro at 'The Wrestler' press day in LA. You can listen to the audio
version on Ringside Live at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ringsidelive/
Wrestling-Online: You've said you didn't grow up a wrestling fan, yet this
idea was one you had wanted to film ever since you graduated from film
school. What made you want to do a film about wrestling?
Darren Aronofsky: Well, no one's ever looked at wrestling in an honest way,
and it's always treated as a joke. I just wanted to look at it in a very
realistic way, to honor it.
W-O: Rob Seigel, an editor for 'The Onion', wrote this screenplay. At first
glance, it seems risky to hire a comedy writer for a film that is, at it's
heart, a drama. How were you introduced to Rob?
DA: He wrote a beautiful screenplay before this (the just-finished 'Big
Fan', starring Patton Oswalt), before "The Wrestler", that was very Hal
Ashby-esque, filled with a lot of dark comedy and a lot of drama. I think
he's a great writer.
W-O: Were you ever concerned that the story might end up a bit more 'over
the top' than you had envisioned?
DA: His script was a bit funnier than the final film. We lost of lot of the
comedy along the way.
W-O: Mickey Rourke was trained by Afa Anoa'i (of The Wild Samoans) for the
film. Did you meet with him before shooting with a plan to get Mickey in
proper condition?
DA: No. Well, prior to the filming, yes. About 3 or 4 months before shooting
we brought Afa on to train Mickey. He's a really sweet guy and really put
mickey under his wing and really took care of him.
W-O: Afa, and the Samoans in general, are known for their respect for the
history of wrestling. Was he able to ingrain that into Mickey?
DA: Oh yeah. Afa really tried to give Mickey a really wide view of what
wrestling was, and tried to show him the beauty of the art.
W-O: The film is set in New Jersey, and is infused with a Northeastern
flavor. Did you consider contacting Vince McMahon and WWE for creative
assistance or cooperation?
DA: We always knew that they might have certain creative ideas that might
not line up with what we wanted to do. So we thought it would just be best
to show respect, but not tread on his ground.
W-O: And that led you to Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and Ring Of Honor
(ROH)?
DA: Yeah. They helped us put on real live wrestling events with real
wrestling fans. Using their roster of wrestlers we put on shows and threw
Mickey right into the middle of it.
W-O: Were you ever concerned that the fans wouldn't get it? Or that they
WOULD get it and not cooperate?
DA: No. I think they were excited to see the cameras and see Mickey Rourke
show up at their home events. I think they were excited.
W-O: You've said that every wrestler in the movie is an actual wrestler. Did
any of them try to lobby you for a more featured role?
DA: Oh yeah. There wasn't room for everybody unfortunately, but most of the
wrestlers we interviewed, I think they got background (in scenes).
W-O: There has been an increasing number of wrestlers who have used the
industry as a springboard to Hollywood. Did you feel thaty of the wrestlers
were auditioning for possible future projects of yours?
DA: Well, I think they were all....A lot of the guys I met were great
actors. I hope I get a chance to work with them again.
W-O: Did any of them stand out as having legitimate breakout potential?
DA: Mike Miller, who played Lex Lethal in the film was great and of course
Dylan Summers, the Necro Butcher was fantastic.
W-O: It appears that you deliberately avoid a lot of 'quick cuts' during the
matches, especially the sequence of hardcore matches between Mickey and
Necro Butcher. I was hard-pressed to find a bump that I wasn't convinced he
took himself. Was there anything you wouldn't let him do?
DA: Well he didn't go off the ladder, but he did everything else. He wanted
to do it, and it worked with the film. Ultimately, if you're careful, those
bumps can be done. I mean, they still could potentially hurt, but they're
not going to be life-threatening.
W-O: Were you ever tempted to get in the ring and take a bump yourself? Just
to prove to Mickey that you were willing?
DA: Oh, I took a bump. Yeah yeah yeah yeah....At one point I was frustrated
with him and I said, "OK, I'm going to do this match." That first, opening
match with Tommy Rotten, I went all the way through it and even body slammed
Tommy Rotten. The hardest part is taking the bumps. Body slamming someone
is not hard because the other wrestler jumps right up into your arms, so
it's not that tough. Then Mickey, before he let me finish, made me jump off
the top rope, and three weeks later, I had to get an MRI.
W-O: Was there a "Holy (Crap)" moment for you during filming?
DA: There was a night when he really gigged (bladed himself), that was a
pretty amazing moment. Not because he hurt himself, but because he went for
it. He really did it.
W-O: The budget for this film was slashed pretty drastically (from $15
million to $6 million), in no small way because of the difficulty in finding
anyone willing to insure Mickey. Yet, Bruce Springsteen wrote the title
track, and essentially gave it to you? How did that happen?
DA: It was pretty easy considering how those things happen. Mickey wrote a
letter, and "The Boss" came through. I don't know if Mickey told you, but
the only reason "The Boss" did it was because he really is a fan of
Mickey's, and when he heard about this project, he just really wanted to
help.
W-O: You mentioned during the round table interview the response you
received from Rowdy Roddy Piper about the film. Are you going to make a
concerted effort to get this film in front of the wrestlers you've drawn
upon for the inspiration to tell this story?
DA: Well actually we're flying in a bunch of guys from the premiere. I think
Piper's coming, Lex is coming, Brutus (The Barber) is coming, The Hammer
(Greg Valentine) is coming. So, they're all coming to check out the film.
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