Chris Bauer believes Wild Bill went on quite a journey during the second season of Heels.
HEELS star Chris Bauer spoke with WrestleZone* Managing Editor Bill Pritchard. When asked if Wild Bill being more of a sympathetic character this time around changed his approach to the role, Bauer said no because he always viewed Wild Bill as a solo act.
“[Bill is] somebody who read a room like an expert,” Chris Bauer said. “And by room, I mean anything from Madison Square Garden to a bathroom in a bar. You know what I mean? He’s self-made. So I think, if anything, his exclusive dependence on kind of transactionally getting over in every aspect of life, including the ring has stopped working.
“And so by being back in Duffy, he’s sort of found an opportunity to, whether he knows it or not, to grow as a human being and not just a gimmick. And that’s what’s great about this season of the show. I mean, his history with the people in Duffy and their particular personalities kind of make it so he basically, he can’t help but if he wants to become a better person.”
Crowd Expert
When asked if the way Wild Bill was acting in season one was more like a defense mechanism than being his true self, Bauer said that was an amazing observation that’s very accurate.
“The first time we see Bill in season one, he knows more about his imminent demise than anybody else. So I think he arrives there kind of terrified already. And running from a disaster that you can’t really escape because wherever you go there you are, it’s that kind of a situation.
“So I think he comes in, came in at the beginning of the season, full bore, trying to knock everybody back on their heels. And when things catch up to him, and he really has no place else to go but back there. All of the people who he basically was flashing hundies for, those are the people who potentially could give him a home. And he’s definitely not somebody who’s used to needing help. And by no means could he ever say that out loud. But I think that some of the intimacy and some of the history that he has with the Spades make it clear that there’s still a little bit of a kind of family connection but he’s desperate for sure.
“He’s lost also. One of the things I love about season two, though, is that for a true performer, you can never be 100% lost if there’s a stage nearby. And for the kind of diehard wrestler that I think he is, there’s no better stage than the ring. So as long as he’s got eyes on the ring or can get his feet inside. I feel like he thinks he’s going to be okay, but he definitely needs Jack’s permission. So he has to find some way to contribute and make himself invaluable which he’s completely willing to do. I mean, he’s an expert. He is a crowd expert.”
The Nature Of Loyalty
Later in the interview, Bauer touched upon the revelation that Wild Bill thought he always had to be someone else instead of just being himself.
“Yeah, but also, he’s an old-school guy. I mean, he made a promise to somebody. So he kept that promise,” Chris Bauer said. “And the irony is that he’s as loyal as anybody could be. I think you see that in season two, you see the nature of his loyalty. But he doesn’t, by the way, that chin guy speech. You know, that’s Mike O’Malley in a nutshell. Working with a writer like that, who is willing to basically articulate that kind of vibe that I think almost anybody has from high school to being in traffic to the workplace.
“It’s like, that person drives you crazy. It’s impolite and so fun to do that scene, but that’s the thing that Bill has to offer. You know, it’s like, nobody knows more than him that if your feet hurt, you didn’t work hard enough. And that nobody’s going to give you anything. Everything has to be earned. And I think it’s kind of an interesting — it’s a bit of a stretch, but it’s an interesting narrative about how wrestling itself is evolving because taking a bump or being an acrobat have incredible value. But no matter how many 360s, 720s you do, you still gotta land on the ground.”
Bauer says knowing how to hit the ground and get back up is what matters at the end of the day. He believes that’s what Bill is trying to tell the rest of the DWL.
“Nothing replaces work. And no work is better than work that’s united with your heart and your passion. And that gives him a mission. I think it’s something that’s — he’s always had a little bit of the evangelical in him. There’s no subject that he’s more passionate about than wrestling.”
Season 2 of HEELS is airing now on STARZ.
*This interview took place prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
What do you make of Chris Bauer’s comments? Have you enjoyed season two of HEELS so far? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
If you use any of these quotes, please credit WrestleZone with a link to this article for the transcription.
READ MORE: Alexander Ludwig On HEELS: I’ve Never Done A Show That’s So Painful
