Former WWE and NXT talent Kevin Kiley, formerly known in the WWE as Alex Riley, was a recent guest on the WZ Daily podcast with Nick Hausman. Riley, who will play the role of Steel Horse on the upcoming GLOW series on Nexflix which premiers this Friday, talked about his experience with working for the company. He also shared that he had to cut his hair and his beard for the promotion, and looked similar to when Alex Riley first debuted in the WWE.
Riley also shared pursuing acting after the WWE, and his biggest lesson from working there. Here are the highlights.
On pursuing acting after WWE:
“As fortunate as it felt when I found an opportunity in WWE, and that was presented to me, I feel just as, and more, fortunate to have found, or having being welcomed into the acting side of things in Hollywood. Because it’s just a thrill, and it keeps me young and alive, and it’s just a very, very, very, cool, magical thing.”
Biggest lesson he got from WWE:
“I don’t think they realized that they were teaching me, and maybe others these things, but I learned more from WWE than any organization that I’ll ever be a part of for the rest of my life. It is so militaristic over there. When things are up and running for you, you’re on the road, and you’re busy. The work ethic the people have over there is amazing.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to walk into a situation that certainly I won’t be prepared for from a work ethic side. There were weeks, and months, and years I spent two days a week for two years, I think it was two years, two and a half years, sleeping in my own bed. When you think about it, it’s absolutely amazing to do live TV twice a week, once a week tape TV, and do three other shows and do it for three years and the year’s out. So, that type of thing I’ll always keep with me.
“You know, being put on live TV in your underwear with a script you don’t know and making it work is absolutely, I mean, that’s a talent I don’t know where you’re gonna learn anywhere else. When I look at WWE, what those people should be credited for is I think they’re some of the most talented, entertainers in entertainment in any company. Because, sometimes, because of three hour television, you’re caught on the wrong end of it, and you got to go out there and make it work. And they always do.
“And that’s something I’ll always have with me as well. It’s hard to make me nervous in an audition room because being out there in front of thirty thousand people, you just gotta make it work.”
You can hear the full interview below.
