Interview: AEW and ‘Happy Gilmore 2’s MJF on Acting, Wrestling, and Insult Comedy
MJF does not like my curtains.
Within eight seconds of connecting on Zoom for our conversation about his role in Happy Gilmore 2, Maxwell Jacob Friedman — best known to fans of All Elite Wrestling as the supremely arrogant heel MJF — is already taking shots at me, or at least at the curtains hanging over my bedroom window. (They were picked out by my wife!)
“Those are, for sure, shower curtains,” he immediately declared. When I insisted they were not (they’re not!) he replied, “Those are a million percent shower curtains. If I took a photo of that and I reverse Google Imaged that, they’d be like ‘Shower curtains! Ten dollars!’”
Harsh. But I expected nothing less. For the last few years, MJF has been the best bad guy in the wrestling business — so good at insulting his opponents (and even the audience!) that his quick wit, over-the-top put-downs, and surprisingly sold in-ring work have made him an unlikely fan favorite. Given his ability to lash out at other wrestlers on a dime, I was frankly prepared for worse. (He didn’t say anything about my goofy face, for example.)
Maybe Friedman, 29, was simply in too good a mood as a result of appearing in his biggest film role to date, as one of Happy Gilmore’s sons in the long-awaited Netflix sequel. In fact, while MJF was quick to bash his AEW co-workers as well as the owner of All Elite Wrestling, Tony Khan, with basically no provocation, he had nothing but good things to say about Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore 2 director Kyle Newacheck, and the experience of making the film.
During our chat, we also discussed crossing over from wresting to acting, and how Hollywood’s view of pro wrestlers has evolved in recent years. We also discussed his future filmmaking ambitions, how he wound up cast as Happy’s son after initially auditioning for an entirely different role, and what it was like to meet one of his personal heroes of insult comedy. At times the conversation was downright ... pleasant?! Now I just have to get some new curtains.
Did you base your character on anyone in particular? Did you rewatch the original film for inspiration?
I felt my character's very much in the genome and the genetic sphere and aura of Happy. I’m Happy’s son. So I wanted to take on Happy, essentially. And I feel like all the brothers did in different ways. I also took little pieces of me, which I do in wrestling too. You take pieces of yourself and you put it in there. So everything you do feels real because it is real.
But I’ve watched the original movie so many times, I didn't have to go watch it back. I can quote the whole thing. It's actually pretty terrifying. And Adam and Kyle had a vision. They knew what they wanted to do with this thing, and they made it even easier, I swear. It was just such a chill experience.
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What did you make of your costumes in the film? They are quite a bit different than the sort of clothes I would expect to see you in on Dynamite.
I would not rock them on a day-to-day basis. But what I will say is I thought I rocked them pretty darn good, considering what I had to wear in the movie. It was a lot of hand-me-downs from the early ’90s — from my dad.
Oh, was that the idea, that these were his old flannels from the first movie? Was that written in the script or did you build that head canon yourself?
That’s a head canon I built into my own brain, yeah. I just felt like it made the most sense. And also there was a T-shirt I wore where I was like “God, this looks so familiar.” And they were like “Yeah, that’s actually from the first movie.” That was a really cool day.
Was it at all strange playing Happy Gilmore’s son when Adam Sandler’s real daughter [Sunny Sandler] is playing Happy’s daughter in scenes with you?
It made me feel like I was really in the family. And by the way, I will tell you: I do feel like I am Sunny’s sister, and Adam’s my dad. They both rule, and I love them both.
Yeah man, I don’t have enough nice things to say. They absolutely rule, and I had so much fun working with them. And it’s also so cool to see how much Adam loves his family, and how down to earth he is. He’s just a dude, a normal guy. I’d shoot the s— with him about sports and TV shows and movies.
You say you and Sandler were shooting the s— about sports. I know he’s a big wrestling fan; did you guys talk about the business?
We did. We talked about his love for Andre the Giant for a while. And that was a fun day on the set, for sure. As people would come in, you had — everyone loves to be like “Wrestling, I don’t know too much about it,” like it’s in this bubble. And by the way, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry, so it is it really a bubble? But you catch my drift.
Adam starts talking about it, then another person, and now all of a sudden everyone’s got a wrestling story. People you wouldn’t expect. Pro golfers have a wrestling story. Kyle has a wrestling story. [Happy Gilmore 2 co-writer Tim] Herlihy has a wrestling story. The producers have a wrestling story. Pro wrestling brings people together, it really does. It brings a lot of fat, poor people together too, but you know, they pay me, that’s how I make a living.
Well that’s important. How’d you wind up with this key role in this big movie? Were there multiple rounds of auditions?
So I have the best team: I have CAA, I have Activist ... they’re constantly looking out for me, trying to find what the next thing for me could be. This one, I auditioned to play an entirely different role. Then I got a second audition. Then I auditioned for the part that I got, and what I found out later was Adam saw my first audition and went “Oh, this kid, let’s try him out for my kid.” And that’s how it came to be.
What was the first part you auditioned for?
One of the Maxi golfers. [In the film, Benny Safdie’s character creates a rival golf league from the main pro tour called Maxi Golf.]
Okay, I can see that. Well, you’re obviously very interested in acting and you’re off to a good start. In an ideal world, how much time would you like to devote to wrestling versus acting?
I really feel and know in my heart of hearts that I am hardworking enough that I’m going to do both and I’m going to give 100 percent to both. And it’s happening right now, and it’s exciting and I’m so grateful. But I know that’s going to come with a lot of hard work. But that’s not something that I’ve ever steered away from.
There’s been a lot of people like [Dave] Bautista, and [John] Cena, and Dwayne [Johnson], who really broke the mold. And because of those three trailblazers I’m able to do what I do now. But I’m also fortunate because I got to start this journey a lot younger than they did, as far as starting the acting part. They really had to wait until they were soft retired to start acting.
And because I work at All Elite Wrestling — which, as much as Tony Khan is a mark, he’s an intelligent mark — he knows that if I build up my brand in Hollywood, it’s only going to benefit the brand of All Elite Wrestling. And while I hate my co-workers, I genuinely care about All Elite Wrestling. And it’s exciting to know we’re going to have so many new people tuning on Wednesdays at 8PM on TBS, because they go “Oh that’s Gordie Gilmore. Let’s see what he’s doing over there.” So that’s really exciting for me.
Yeah, when I was a kid, there was almost no crossover between wrestling and movies. Now all those people you mentioned have certainly changed that. In your experience, what’s Hollywood’s view of wrestlers now?
It’s changed dramatically. They understand that what we do is incredibly hard. It’s live with no net. There’s no redos, there’s no “All right, let’s try another take.” You got one take and you better nail it. And if you’re that talented, you get to show people how great you’ll do in an environment where you get multiple takes and you get multiple stabs at it. It’s two totally different animals, but I think because of those three guys I mentioned earlier, Hollywood now realizes this is pretty hard.
So what is it like you going into that world where you get a million takes instead of just one?
It’s a blast, because there’s no pressure. I just give it 110 percent every take, and change the flavor, or the director, Kyle, was incredible; he’d give a specific note that would make you go “All right, let me play it this way now.” Same with Adam. God, every take was fun. You’re a kid on a playground, just having a good time.
And when you return to AEW after working on something like Happy Gilmore 2, is there anything you’ve learned from acting that you can apply back to wrestling?
I’ve just learned how talentless everybody around me at work is, and how they’re just lucky to have me there.
[laughs]
Matt, God, they suck. They’re bumbling idiots over there. They can barely form sentences. So when you’re on a Happy Gilmore set and everybody’s talented ... and then you’re standing next to these [expletive deleted] in the back, who all they know how to say is [affects a dumb person voice] “Chicken or rice?” God, man, just put a gun in my mouth. So I’d say that’s something that I learned for sure.
Yeah. It’s funny Max; in my experience doing movie junkets and interviews, the people tend to be so nice, and everyone’s smiling and everyone’s happy. They put on a big show. And you’re being very honest about your feelings about your co-workers, and I appreciate —
I’m not capable of not being honest. So here’s the big headline: The movie’s hilarious. I got to see it for the first time yesterday, okay? The movie is funny. If you’re gonna trust anybody trust MJF, because if anyone’s gonna shoot straight with you, it’s gonna be me. The movie’s, like, make-your-sides-hurt funny.
Okay, well speaking of being honest: I saw The Iron Claw, and while it was a good movie, as a fan of your work, I was hoping you would be in it more.
I most certainly had a bigger role. But, you know, I was left on the cutting room floor. Frankly, as an executive producer of the movie, I felt it made sense. I was okay with it, because it was a side story, a B storyline, that didn’t necessarily help the overarching theme of the film. [Note: MJF played Lance Von Erich, an fictional brother added to the real-life Von Erich wrestling family after they lost several real members under tragic circumstances. In the film, Lance appears only a brief, silent cameo.]
It would have only increased the runtime. And movies are about making money. So the longer the runtime is, the less people you can get into a movie theater. So it made all the sense in the world to me. I was not offended.
I have talked about this with other wrestlers turned actors I have interviewed, but as someone who enjoys both of these worlds, I’ve always been disappointed that there aren’t more great movies about pro wrestling. Documentaries, yes. Fiction movies, not really.
The Wrestler is the best one.
Yes, that is a good movie. But there are not many others; I don’t know if you’ve ever seen ...All the Marbles but that’s another one I like. But it’s not a subject that’s gotten the cinematic treatment it deserves, in my opinion.
I would agree with that. Right now I’m focused on showing the world what I can do outside of, y’know, “Hey, he’s a wrestler!” But if the acting career goes the way that I want it to go, I do have a very strong yearning to take a stab at what you’re talking bout, and to get it right. For wrestling fans.
That would very interesting. Okay, you watched the movie for the first time last night. Did you have a favorite moment of yours that made the final cut?
I don’t know how much it’ll mean to other people, but as an insult, y’know, person myself [laughs], I’m a big Robert Smigel guy.
Ohhhhh.
I’m one of the biggest Rob Smigel guys in the world. And Rob Smigel is in the room with me and I’m like “Oh my god. This is nuts.” So that was one of my favorite moments, because I grew up watching Triumph [the Insult Comic Dog, created by Smigel]. To be able to make fun of him in that scene, it was just a fun moment for me.
There’s only two other people on my s—talker list, and I know for a fact I’ll never get to talk to them. One is [wrestling legend “Rowdy” Roddy] Piper, obviously. And then Don Rickles, the greatest insulter of all time. These are my Mount Rushmore of insult comics. It was pretty sick that I got to interact with one of them.
It’s funny. I didn’t think about that during that scene, but as a Triumph fan myself, what you’re saying makes a lot of sense. He was an influence on your persona as MJF?
I don’t even like calling it a persona, because like I said, everything I do, it’s a piece of me.
Absolutely.
But yeah man. And Sandler too, because he’s a tremendous s—talker in his movies. I’m just an amalgamation of everything that I grew up idolizing as a child, and I wrapped it up in a bow and I put a Burberry scarf on it. That’s what MJF is, man.
Have you ever attempted the Happy Gilmore swing?
I attempted the swing a young age. Every time I did attempt it, I violently missed the ball. Nobody does it like [Sandler]. He’s the only guy that can do the Happy swing. And I’m glad to call him my fake dad.
Happy Gilmore 2 is now streaming on Netflix. AEW Dynamite airs weekly on TBS and streams on HBO Max.
