AEW star Paul Wight, known to millions as the seven-foot-tall Big Show in WWE, has revealed that he was effectively banned from taking a role in Ridley Scott's 2000 epic Gladiator by his then-boss Vince McMahon. Speaking exclusively to Metro ahead of All Elite Wrestling's All In London show at Wembley Stadium in August, Wight recalled how he landed a part in the Russell Crowe classic but was forced to turn it down.
A Dream Role Derailed
Wight explained that actor Nicolas Cage helped him get the part. 'I think Nick Cage, years ago, got me a part in Gladiator,' he said. 'I went to Vince and told him, “Hey, I have to be in Spain for six weeks to shoot in this movie, Gladiator.” And Vince – I just signed with WWE at the time, and no one knew that Russell Crowe was going to be an Academy Award winner, that this movie was going to be this big.'
McMahon's response was blunt. 'He looked me straight in the face and says, “I’m paying you to be a wrestler. Do you want to be a wrestler or an actor? Make the choice.”' The implication was clear: there was no real choice, especially since Wight had just signed his biggest contract after leaving WCW. He called Cage back to decline the role. 'I said, “Hey, man, I really appreciate everything. But I just signed here,” which was, then, the biggest contract I’d ever done in my life. “I’m going to stay here and do this wrestling thing.” When Gladiator came out, I was like, “Oh, okay, wow! Missed the boat on that one!”'
No Dwelling on the Past
The former world champion insists he doesn't dwell on missed opportunities or past achievements. His home office displays only three items from his wrestling career: a WWE Championship framed by Paul Heyman, a photo with Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and John Cena after a WrestleMania, and an AEW folding chair. 'We can live in yesterday and kind of get stuck, and get upset or depressed or woeful,' he said. 'I’m hopeful. I’m the opposite.'
Acting Ambitions
Wight has acted in films like Jingle All The Way (1996) and The Waterboy (1998), and starred in the Netflix sitcom The Big Show Show (2020). Last year, he played a Viking in the US version of Ghosts. Now, he's taking online acting classes to improve his craft. 'I know wrestling. I understand what’s expected of me,' he said. 'Acting is a completely different skill set that I love, but I’m also having to learn, and I want to be better at it.'
He's not interested in buying roles or taking parts just for money. 'A lot of the stuff that I’m studying now, there’s no way in hell anybody will ever cast me for that, unless I pay for it,' he admitted. 'But part of that challenge and that drive to keep your motivation, to keep yourself hungry, is trying for things and having a dream to do more stuff like that.'
His dream roles include projects that fit his size or allow him to pour his 'heart and guts' into them. 'Whether it’s making you laugh or making you cry or making you afraid, whatever the emotion is,' he added. 'But if you want to do something like this, then you have to put in the reps.' He'd love another sitcom with a live audience after his Netflix show was canceled after one season. 'I might be somebody in the wrestling world, but I’m nobody in the acting world, so I’m starting at the bottom, and that’s okay.'
Focus on AEW
Wight remains committed to AEW, where he wrestles and works behind the scenes, promoting events like AEW All In London. 'I definitely think that we’ve made Wembley a global home for us, which is great as a company grows,' he said. 'I definitely can see AEW in the future making more of a global impact as our brand expands. It’s going to be exciting. I’m happy to be here and be part of the ride!'
AEW All In London returns to Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 30. Tickets are available now at livenation.co.uk.
