O’Shea Jackson Jr is an actor known for his roles in movies like Straight Outta Compton, Long Shot and Den Of Thieves. He is also a HUGE wrestling fan. He joins Chris Van Vliet in Hollywood to talk about being Ice Cube’s son, how he didn’t want to be an actor, playing his father in “Straight Outta Compton”, his preparation for a role, the best advice he ever received about acting (“Never do a movie that you wouldn’t go see it”), how his wrestling fandom began, why he loves Roman Reigns but doesn’t like Cody Rhodes, The Rock’s return to WWE, his thoughts on WrestleMania and much more!
Quote I’m thinking about: “Used to is a rooster that don’t crow no more” – O’Shea Jackson Jr’s mom
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On having a famous father:
“You know, I don’t really go nowhere. It’s rare anytime people see me out. I’m a homebody. Super family-oriented. I just have a great team that kind of keeps me grounded. Plus, I just be on the sticks at home. You know, I’m on PlayStation.”
On Bray Wyatt:
“I was waiting for Bray to just make films, because the way that his presentation was, he could have gave us a monster-like indie horror game as well. And I just loved his creativity. Him coming back at Extreme Rules this last year, that was cinema dude, that was something that still gives you goosebumps. And it’s terrible to just have him taken away the way that he was so suddenly, I couldn’t believe it. I was in the kitchen, talking to my sister. And all of a sudden I looked at my phone Twitter blowing up and I told her she didn’t believe me. And so like we did the research, and it’s heartbreaking. You know, thinking about Bray.”
On getting into wrestling:
“It was my older brother Darryl. It was Sega Genesis, I can’t think of the video game. But video games actually led me into wrestling because I saw him playing. And he told me who everybody was. I would pick the Undertaker, he would pick Shawn Michaels and we would just kick ass. That’s just what we would do.”
On not wanting to be an actor:
“I wanted to be on the other side of the camera. I always believed in being rich not famous. I didn’t have the dad that can just take you to the mall, because it’s gonna be a frenzy. You know, going to amusement parks. You need security, it takes a lot more to set up simple things living a simple life. And so I wanted to have the perks but without the chaos. So I wanted to be a writer. I went to the University of Southern California to be a screenwriter was probably the biggest accomplishment of my young life. And then in the middle of my second year of college. My dad says, hey, they’re taking this NWA movie seriously and I’m like, good dad, I’m happy for you. He’s like, Nah, in a perfect world I need you to audition. I need you to play me. So I was like, All right. Can I leave school he was like, only if you make it work. So I have just been trying to make her work for almost 10 years.”
On auditioning to play his father:
“Remember, I convinced him to let me leave school. So I’m in the middle of my second year. So for two years, I’m going to these auditions. I’m going to my acting coach. And you know, just trying to get it down trying to get it right. And in those two years, I’m on Instagram, watching all my friends graduate. I’m feeling like an idiot, like I ruined everything that I set up for myself. And when you’re going to USC to see everybody. And they’re like, oh, so what’s up with the movie? And you’re like, Oh I don’t know. So, it got to the point where it bothered me if I didn’t get it. Once we finally got the ball rolling, there was nothing you can tell me.”
On the hardest part about playing his dad:
“I think the hardest part was the story, and trying to make sure that how my father is viewed by others is how I view him. Just making sure that like, there was a scene where Dr. Dre loses his brother. And everybody’s on the side of the bus crying and all that it’s very deep and emotional scene and we’re being there for Dre. And as his son, I’m like, man, I’ve seen my dad cry, maybe twice. I don’t know if I want the world to see that side of him. Anyway, so I was like, man, somebody’s got to be the shoulder to cry on in this scene. And it’s just those things where you’re fighting your want as an actor to like, show the world what you can do. But then I know my dad man. I know my dad is gonna let you get your cry off. He’s not going to break down, unless it’s around my mom and I don’t see it. I just couldn’t let couldn’t let that happen.”
On getting into music:
“There’s no way you can be in the world I’m in and not think to dabble in music. And I still get the itch. I still make beats. But as far as rapping, when I started my acting career, Hollywood typecast rappers, it just is what it is. Nobody wants to see Superman throw $100 bills at a girl at a club. It’s just they’re not going to see you as nothing but that you know, and like, personally, I know, my, my dad, if he was given the opportunity for certain roles, he’d smash it, kill it. But a lot a lot of Hollywood has to see, no we see Ice Cube right here. And you know, they’re always in his ballpark, he always smashes them. And then you know, it goes on. But I know that there’s there’s just certain roles that they won’t see a music performer in. And so I made a conscious decision to step back because I’m never going to be as big or bigger or take the family further than my dad did in music. But I have the opportunity to take our family name further and acting in movies than we’ve ever been. And that’s what I want to do.”
On his wrestling fandom:
“I’m cutting promos. That’s really what it is. At first, it was just me talking wrestling with people. Then when it came to Roman and The Bloodline I took on this this persona of just an ass. I know I’m a jerk. But that’s my favourite part of my day and I will never let it go. And yeah, man, The Bloodline is the best thing that happened to wrestling, and to my wrestling fan career, and I’ll never let it go. I acknowledge my Tribal Chief.”
On always being a Roman Reigns fan:
“I get it. Blue contacts were a little funny. But like, man, after a while, I’m like, Dude, What are y’all not like? And you know, it was it was painful to see things like when The Rock tried to lift his hand and everybody’s still just trashing this dude. And then when he would win the belt, it just never felt like he was accepted. And me and my buddies that I watch wrestling with, we all watch and we’re like, do go heal. Please just go heel. They want to boo you give them something to boo about the same thing that happened to The Rock. You guys want to trash me everywhere? All right, I’m gonna give you something to boo. And then you’re so good at it. They can’t help but love you. And then he goes away, you know, due to leukaemia, and then he comes back and he says he’s in remission. And everybody is, you know, still waiting to see how he’s going to be. And then all of a sudden during the ThunderDome, which is a dark time as a wrestling fan. The Feind Bray gets speared out of nowhere. Roman Reigns has a wreck everyone and leaves shirt. The Tribal Chief is born. And he’s here.”
On Cody Rhodes:
“He’s box office. He should be on a damn cereal box. You know, Cody is the man. But when you come in at mine, your, our Tribal Chief. No disrespect because obviously, I look at people like Rock. Randy, Roman Cody, you know, second third generation. Those people who are walking in their family’s footsteps and wanting to take the name to new heights. How can I not connect with you? But Triabl Chief bro. And no disrespect to Cody because like I said, You are the man. But if we’re being real Chris, what’s the name of Roman’s belt? The Undisputed Universal title. Now it had to become Undisputed because he went up against Brock and unified those belts. So should a man be able to just come and take the Universal, Undisputed title? Or should he have to earn the name undisputed? So shouldn’t Cody have to beat Seth first? Take that belt in order to unify.”
On Roman beating the Hogan record:
“It’s a little bit past SummerSlam you know, if you want to drop in Survivor Series, whatever. But like, I think with everything that they set up with this guy, so you got obviously, John Cena is Cena, you know, the 16 titles, all of that. And after Cena, the company was looking for the guy and they wanted to make Roman that guy. And so you’re in a position now, where you had Cena, ultimate baby face 16 titles, yada, yada, yada. And now you have the ultimate heel. And it will forever be what’s better. Cena’s 16 times, or Roman’s reign. So now you have the ultimate heel, the ultimate face debate forever. The guy that you wanted after Cena, and at this point when you’ve already given him the most WrestleMania main events ever, why not in this thing with a perfect bow and make him the longest reign in the WrestleMania era? It would be the perfect battle for wrestling debates to come.”
On CM Punk:
“I’ve known Phil maybe a year or so before he went to AEW. And it was just like on Twitter. We went back and forth one day and then started following each other, exchanged numbers. I’ve invited him to the premiere of Cocaine Bear, which is still my favourite title ever. Mu man showed up for me, you know, didn’t have to. It was a situation where I only really had like, my girlfriend, my best friend and my brother’s there. So I was you know, I was feeling a little like, you know, I got a little small group and Phil came out for me, showed me love my best friend. Shout out to Roman looks at me and goes that’s CM Punk. He’s watching the movie. And he’s just a good dude straightforward. calls it like it is won’t lie to you. You know, he’s he’s a straight shooter. And yeah, man he’s he’s had my back. He’s giving me advice on things and I’ve always had his back.”
On riling up AEW fans:
“I don’t mean to. But like, the issue I have is okay for people who don’t watch anything besides the two. Whether you’re you’re younger or older stuck in your ways, if I’m watching someone on AEW, and I as who is this guy? I don’t need you to tell me I’m not a real wrestling fan to tell me how could you not know such and such? Who gives a damn? Like I need you to inform me bro. Or at least have your programme and in a way to let people know why you should love this dude, why you should f*ck with this guy. That’s something that I feel like is missing. Konnan, when I was on his podcast he brought up when you watch UFC and they give you a little backstory about this dude backstory about that dude. What this guy’s had to go through what he’s done and vice versa. And then they put them in the room and they cuss each other out. And then by watching those videos you’ve picked a side us of who you’re with. What they have is this this nice group of people who watch all of these wrestling shows and they’re already in the know so when they see these names together, it is a dream match for them. But you’re trying to sell this to American television baby. You got to move that up a little bit, you got to give me some cinema to follow, something to hold on to besides the announced team running down a list for me while there’s dudes walking down the ramp. And I feel like that’s missing it when you are trying to get involved and trying to really give something a chance and when you question it even a little bit and you get 80 no faced accounts coming at you at any given time you like me f*ck this noise bro. I’m gonna cool off of it if y’all like it I don’t. I have people over there that are that I’m cool with you know I talked to Swerve at least once every week or so you know just talking about wrestling talking about stuff that’s going on how Daniel Garcia almost killed and when that announce table. But you know that type of stuff. Dante Martin when he broke his foot after a while I asked about him got his Twitter page DM them and was like Yo, you know, are you alright? What’s your recovery looking like? Told him how explosive I think he is and there’s people over there obviously all my old WWE people that I still care about. Anyone who follows me knows when Aleister Black made the move over and became Malakai, I was crushed. I thought we were idiots to let that guy go. Aleister, I was such a huge fan of him during his NXT and I was waiting for his push on the main roster. Same thing with Andrade now and Andrade is back. When I see things like the LWO I was pissed that Andrade is not in it. When I see things like Judgement Day. I’m pissed. Aleister Black isn’t there. So now I still watch those guys. Adam Copeland as well over there in AEW. I don’t hate AEW, I hate their miserable faceless fans who got not even a picture of themselves and have the nerve to try to stand on their words. I hate your guts.”
What is O’Shea Jackson Jr. grateful for:
“Family, opportunities and health.”
