This is your boy, Terry Crews and
I'm here to tell you that WWE is uncompromised.
It is amazing, 100% real.
>> Hey, what's going on everybody?
This is WWE superstar Titus O'Neil here.
And obviously, during these very trying times,
we're all kinda finding ways to stay engaged and
connect with our friends and people from all over, and today is no different.
I have an opportunity to bring to you
a good friend of mine who is an actor and author.
An all around great person, and a huge WWE fan on top of it, actually.
And we're going to talk about that and so much more.
Ladies and gentlemen, my man, my friend, my brother, Mr. Terry Crews.
>> Hey, what's up Titus?
[LAUGH] >> What's up, man?
>> I just gotta tell you, man, you are one of my favorite people on Earth.
Dude, first of all, what you do every week or
every other day up there in that wrestling ring is absolutely phenomenal.
I mean, I almost ended up in wrestling, man.
Almost, I was this close.
[CROSSTALK] >> Well,
that was one of the questions I was gonna lead into asking you, you.
Obviously you did the cold open for us for Summer Slam in 2018.
How was your experience working with WWE in that capacity,
even in doing that cold open for us?
>> When you look at what the WWE is all about, it's about heroes, villains.
It's the core of why you are entertained.
I mean, when I look at all the superhero movies that are out right now,
all the Marvel, DC.
I mean, WWE was before that.
>> Mm-hm.
>> You know what I'm saying?
>> Yep. >> It's really about your favorite
characters, your people, that the things that represent what you're about.
And I've been a fan since I mean, literally the Hulk Hogan days.
I remember my grandmother was a fan.
But she would mention wrestlers from back in her day.
And one thing that's always been dear to my
heart because it's literally the greatest theater on Earth.
Now again, because you guys put your life on the line every time you're out there.
Anything can happen.
I did a TV show years ago.
My first entrance into entertainment was a show called Battle Dome,
where we basically stole your idea.
[LAUGH] >> Yeah.
>> We were wrestling style.
I played this character named T-Money and they put me in a cage.
But we were doing like American Gladiator style stuff, and
we had a co-venture with WCW out of Atlanta at the time.
This is back in the old days, man.
And one thing that got me man- >> Wait a minute, yeah.
>> Yeah, this is it.
>> We got a picture.
That's it. >> Yeah, yeah.
That's T Money.
>> T-Money! >> That was the WCW, yes.
>> Yeah.
Yes, sir. >> That was it right there.
And I look back at those days, man, and
this when I learned how to really give it up.
Because this is another thing, with acting and the whole thing,
you have to go so far in that everyone believes it.
And I remember being this character.
And I was the mean, I was the heavy, I was the heel.
And so what happens is, these guys.
[LAUGH] We had a contestant, and I wouldn't talk to him.
And they would say hey, I wanna go meet T-Money.
And they were like hey man, T-Money don't talk to nobody, man.
[LAUGH] >> Yeah, yeah.
[LAUGH] >> So I'm over there with my baby.
I got my little baby girl, we eating and we hanging out.
But when I came out, I was like, yo.
And I was all in, and they were so scared.
And after the game, I will go up to the guy like hey man,
I'm glad you're coming to the show.
And they were like man, I thought you was like.
>> Yeah. >> My God.
>> Yeah. >> But when I saw the commitment and
the talent and ability that the WWE had.
I mean, I remember when The Rock was just starting out.
I started in the game 20 years ago, you know what I mean?
>> Right. >> And he started hitting and
the whole thing.
But I watch all you guys, and it feels like family.
>> My next question, which is in your movie career you play President Camacho-
>> Yes.
>> In the movie Idiocracy.
And it definitely had some WWE vibes to it.
>> Yeah.
[LAUGH] >> Tell us about that experience.
>> First of all, I auditioned for that job probably 10 times.
And what was wild was cuz I had just done the movie White Chicks, but
it hadn't come out yet.
So people didn't know who I was, you know what I mean?
But I went into this audition and
my judge, he was trying to create this real futuristic thing.
And he had different kind of versions.
He was like, If the president just was the most bombastic,
most incredible dude, what would he sound like?
So what I did, I knew I needed to mix
a wrestler kinda guy with a preacher kinda guy.
And the director was like this is it.
And with the build and the wrestling mix.
>> Yeah. >> People just got caught up.
I attribute that a lot to me watching the WWE,
watching because when you grab that mic, It's yours.
>> Yeah.
>> You got thousands and thousands of people watching you at one time.
This is why I was so honored to do that WWE intro,
because I knew the special magic.
It's one thing to be physical, but it's a whole other thing to be magnetic.
>> Obviously, one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about today is your
new movie on Netflix called The Willoughbys.
>> Yes. >> Which I had a chance to watch myself
and to see the correlation between my story and
how we all end up better off in the end.
>> Yes, yes.
>> Because we end up with people that care about us, that love us.
At the end of the day, we all need love.
That's right. >> And we all need to be appreciated.
Preparing for this role, although it's animated,
what inspired you to, number one, be involved in this film?
And then number two, what did you see from your past or
your backstory that could help you illustrate and tell this story better?
>> Man, that is an amazing question, it's perfect.
Because when I got a chance to be involved, the cast was incredible.
I mean, I've been a fan of Martin Short, Maya Rudolph, Will Forte, Alessia Cara.
I'm fans of every last one of them.
Jane Krakowski.
So I've always followed everyone.
But then when I saw the story, I was like my God.
These kids, literally, are trying to get rid of their parents.
[LAUGH] >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> To get ready for this character, though,
because I play Commander Melanoff, who is this candy factory.
But he's been alone for a long time.
And in the movie, when they bring Ruthie into my life, into my house,
all I could think of was little Naomi.
>> That's your daughter, yeah.
>> My oldest daughter.
She's actually 32 right now, so to let you know how long ago that was.
It took me right back to that time.
It reminded me of the times when my babies were little and
we would fly around the house.
And I'd give them candy and it's pizza night, and we'd watch these stand up.
I'm like, let them stay up late, let's go to Disneyland for four days.
And my wife was like they got homework.
I was like forget that, let's go.
>> Yeah. >> And Melanoff allowed me to be
that guy again.
Believe me, I enjoyed it.
The movie has such good lessons.
Like you said, it's just for such a time as this.
It's the perfect family movie.
>> We're gonna end with something for WWE Universe.
We have some fans, they submitted some rapid fire questions.
And the first thing comes to mind is what you will answer.
>> Okay.
>> Will be your answer, all right?
What's the first thing you tell yourself in the morning when you wake up?
>> Get up and go.
Do you wanna share any tips for how you power through your day?
The biggest step for me is fear, is on one side and pain is on the other.
Make them your friends every day.
Fear and pain, walk around with them all day.
>> If you could only do four workout moves inside of one workout, what would they be?
>> Okay, bench press- >> Four moves.
Bench press. >> The incline bench, I'm gonna say this.
The incline bench, squat,
power clean, and a pull-up.
That's it. >> Got you.
>> That's all I need.
[LAUGH] >> That's all I need too.
All right,
next question is can you do your best WWE promo to power up the WWE Universe?
All right.
Hey, listen up right now.
This is your boy Terry Crews, and I'm here to tell you that WWE is uncompromised.
It is all amazing, 100% real.
And anybody got a problem with that, you can come see me.
Okay.
>> [LAUGH] >> All right.
Hey, I liked it.
>> Yeah, you did.
[CROSSTALK] Yeah, I did the little slow burn.
You gotta like the slow burn. >> Yeah, yeah, at the end.
[LAUGH] [CROSSTALK] I said what I said, and that's what I meant.
>> [LAUGH]
[MUSIC]
>> Terry, thank you so much for taking time out of your very,
very busy schedule to sit down with me.
I appreciate you for continuing to make those positive investments not
only as an actor, and an athlete, and an entertainer, but as a friend.
I know that we have we should have a mutual friend in Dave Bautista.
>> Yes. >> Hopefully we'll be able to all grace
the screen in a movie very soon once this pandemic is over with.
And next thing you know you got Terry Crews, Titus O'Neil and
Dave Bautista all on one screen.
But much success, continued success to you, man.
I'm very sure I'll be seeing you in the very near future.
For all of those that watch this interview, go to Netflix,
tell your friends look for the Willoughbys.
And look for every other movie that Terry Crews is in cuz he's just an amazing
individual.
I love you, brother- >> I love you.
>> And keep shining, man.
>> Titus, keep rocking it, man.
>> Yes, sir. >> You are amazing, thank you.
Thank you, sir.
>> Thank you. Love you.
>> Yes sir. Love you too, brother.