The new movie Unstoppable (available on Prime Video January 16) tells the inspiring real-life story of Arizona State University's 2011 Wrestling Champion Anthony Robles.
Robles joined SportsJam with Doug Doyle to talk about the film that received great reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Robles, born with one leg, overcame many challenges on and off the mat. Through it all, his mother (portrayed in the movie by Jennifer Lopez) gave him the encouragement to never stop going after his goals and dreams.
"My mom has been everything to me. My mom is my hero. She believed in me when no one else did. She taught me to believe in myself at a young age when I would step out in world where everyone saw me for what I couldn't do. Even just going to the grocery stores I felt uncomfortable people would look at me and see me for being less than, but my mom never look at me that way. She would never allow me to think that way which is why I am who I am today."
Robles is thankful that his story was treated with such great care by a tremendous cast.
"For people to see that now on the big screen, to have Jennifer Lopez capture my mom's essence. You know that strength that she had, protectiveness, that love that she had for her kids, Jennifer just did a phenomenal job. Now people can see why I am they way I am. It's because my mom believed in me. She still is that voice in my as I'm wrestling through my life that you can do it. You never let a challenge become your excuse."
When he first saw the finished movie at TIFF, he felt like he was just going back in time.
"It was really neat to see the audience going through those moments with me, seeing the happy moments and laughing and also the down moments, the moments of pain. Just to see the finished product at the very end of it, I was just so proud of how the story was told and how they really just captured my family and my mom in such a beautiful way so people could see where my motivation came from."
The movie also depicts Anthony's rocky relationship with his step-dad (portrayed by Bobby Cannavale). Reliving those moments, including a nasty physical fight after seeing how his step-dad was abusing his mom, was extremely tough for Anthony.
"Just sharing that with the masses and the world, that was a very stressful feeling. My family and I, we sat down from the very beginning when this opportunity presented itself and we asked ourselves if we were willing to go through with this. If we are, we've got to tell our entire story, not just the sunshine and rainbows, we got to share the pain. Even though it was difficult going through that and seeing that again, it was for a cause. That cause was to inspired people. People relate to the pain and relate to the challenges so we wanted to share our pain and our challenges that we were able to overcome to inspire others to get through with what they're wrestling with right now."
Anthony is portrayed by award-winning actor Jharrel Jerome with Robles doubling him on scene during the wrestling sequences.
"It was so much fun working on the wrestling choreography. I remember getting the call from director Billy Goldenberg and I felt I got to train for something all over again. I had to get into conditioning and wrestling shape. Wrestling is something that I've known since I was 14, but creating wrestling choreography with another person was completely different, completely foreign to me. But luckily, Billy brought in my former Arizona State Assistant Wrestling Coach Brian Stith to help design the choreography, to put the script into wrestling moves on the mat. So he knew my style. Jharrel (Jerome) just to put over the top. We met back in 2019 and he was very committed to his wrestling, learning what my details on the mat. Because of how well he was able to learn the sport and learn the little mannerisms of me, it allowed me to go out there and execute full ability, with 100 percent intensity. The wrestlers that are in the film are all former Division I wrestlers, so we ended up calling it a violent dance."
Robles completed an undefeated senior season at ASU in 2011, by winning the 125-pound NCAA title. He defeated former champion Matt McDonough of Iowa in the finals.
Several powerful scenes in Unstoppable included moments with his high school coach (portrayed by Michael Peña) and college coach Shawn Charles (portrayed by Don Cheadle).
You can hear the SportsJam interview with Don Cheadle here.
Now a motivational speaker, Anthony Robles says he's been very blessed.
"After I got done competing, I went after some pull-up records. I broke three Guinness World Records for pull-ups. I became a high school wrestling coach just because I wanted to give back. I wanted to be that positive role model for the next generation of kids coming up, not just on the mat but in their lives. I want to teach them life lessons that they can apply and overcome challenges. Being a dad has been a blessing for me. I have a wife and two-year old son. I very fortunate and grateful. I'm focused on being able to give back."
You can SEE the entire SportsJam interview with Anthony Robles here.
