William Fichtner & Ali Afshar Talk ‘American Wrestler’ [Video Exclusive]

The movie is actually inspired by me and my whole family’s story. We took my brother’s, my parent’s, my uncle’s journey and put it together and made one great story. We moved here in the time of the late ‘70s, early ‘80s, right in the time of the middle of the Iran hostage crisis and the Iranian Revolution which, a lot of the viewers might remember it as more of the ‘Argo’ time when the Ben Affleck movie was done. So it was a really tough time to be in America, it probably still is. Being an Iranian is one of the worst things to be in America because it just has such a bad wrap and the government is so… you know, I don’t get into politics but the people are great but the government and I don’t see eye-to-eye. It was a lot of prejudice, a lot of being an outsider, and justifiably. The country had taken Americans hostage, so you weren’t very welcome here. And we were in a very small town, everyone was white, we were the only Iranian people there so it was a challenge. Just like everything. When you go somewhere new, you’re not immediately accepted. But the beauty of this is that it didn’t take that much time. Through wrestling I got the school, and the town, and the people, to actually love me and accept me. I call Petaluma my home town, it is where we actually shot this movie, the actual real locations, the homes, the schools and what not. So it is the story of my whole family but really any Iranian and other immigrant coming to America in a time, you know, it would be like being Syrian right now or something. It is very relevant still.

What I loved about the script the first time I read it and looking at the role was that this was a gentleman that was going through his own journey in his life and was on hard times and found himself, at the beginning of this movie, actually living in his office in the gym because his wife tossed him. I loved that he was a guy that was finding his way. [He was] a Vietnam vet and everything wasn’t in sync in his life. Here comes this young man looking for a chance and is willing to give his all and that meant something to the coach and it certainly meant something to me when I read the script. I love this journey and that they believe in each other and you know how far can we go. As much as the character of Ali gained and the success that he had as a wrestler in the film, it was just as uplifting for Coach Plyer.

Do have to keep saying this over and over? It’s not the color of your skin, it’s not where you are from, it’s who you are, it’s what you do. I mean, isn’t that our country? I think so. I hope so. So that’s this story. How hard are you going to work? How hard are you going to try? Are you a good person? Do you care about what you do? Do you care about other people? Are you willing to back up your words with truth? And this young man in the film, played by George K., is an incredible performance, that is who is. And he does find his way. Well I think you can tell that story over and over again. I think it needs to be heard because sometimes it’s forgotten.