Kevin Nash Interview: “You Can’t Tell Me There’s Not A 6 Foot 10 Dentist”

Kevin Nash talks with Daily DDT about his role on “Living The Dream”, how pro wrestling has affected his acting career, the 2020 presidential election and more.

Recently, Kevin Nash spoke with me about his role as Troy Marshall on the Sky One and BritBox series “Living The Dream”, how pro wrestling has affected his acting career, and his thoughts on the NBA and the 2020 presidential election.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Daily DDT: Tell me a bit about the show and your role in it.

Kevin Nash: Basically, a couple from England come over with their 2 high school age children and pretty much buy an RV park site on scene. Its kind of a scam, like the father thinks it’ll be a luxurious, beautiful RV park. It kind of looks like the day before a meth raid, so it’s kind of a let down. But as he tries to make it go, we put up a resistance because we’ve been there so long, and comedy ensues from there, so a clash of cultures. But, It was good. A really good chemistry with the cast and crew. I mean, trying because of the heat and the conditions cause everything was hot outdoors, but it was a really enjoyable experience.

Daily DDT: How was it working on a TV series on a recurring basis as opposed to guest spots and movies?

Kevin Nash: It was the first time I’ve done it. Its almost like wrestling where you get in a groove. You know, it takes you a couple of days. It took me maybe 3 or 4 days to kind of get in the groove of it,  I’ve done a couple of episodes reoccurring on 30 minute sitcoms, 3 camera sitcoms, which I mean I think that’s everybody’s dream to make Friends or whatever. You know those type of shows where you come in Monday and do a table reading. Tuesday, do a walk through with the paper in your hand and the writers are there. Wednesday, it’s walkthrough again and rewrites. You know, Thursday, you go through just walking through with everything. Friday, dress rehearsal and then Friday afternoon – Friday evening they bring in the crowd and you shoot it and you’re done. I mean most days you’re in at 9 and out at 6, so I mean its just like you actually have a normal job.

Daily DDT: If you could guest on any TV series right now, which one would you want to be on?

Kevin Nash: If I could guest on a show, I’m a huge Homeland fan. I love Homeland. I’d love to be on it. Ozark, I’d love to be on Ozark. Yeah, that’s one of my favorites.

Daily DDT: Do you find that your pro wrestling career has helped you with acting so far?

Kevin Nash: I don’t know sometimes. I mean even this character, though it wasn’t explained to me when I accepted the role, you know all of a sudden its episode 2 and they’re telling me that episode 3 is about having a wrestling match. You know the deal is I’m an ex pro wrestler and I’m like, “Dude the last thing I need to do is be an ex pro wrestler, like I’m doing that on a daily basis.” I mean it has typecasted me. I think I’m more suited for comedy than I am action, but you know every time they look at you, it’s like they see the bulk. You know I always tell people, “you can’t tell me there’s not a 6 foot 10 dentist or a 6 foot 10 prosecutor or attorney or whatever, you know 6 foot 10 mechanic,” like you know there’s other things 6 foot 10 people do besides play basketball and wrestle.

Daily DDT: So you think you do better with comedies than with action roles?

Kevin Nash: I prefer comedies.

Daily DDT: Why is that?

Kevin Nash: I don’t know, I’ve just always been like a class clown growing up. I think that I’ve always kind of had a sarcastic, very dry sense of humor. I don’t know. Anytime, especially when I’m allowed to ad-lib, I’m allowed to just kind of find a character and just kind of ad-lib and let it go. My character in ‘The Longest Yard’ had no lines in the original script except, “Who drank all the damn gatorade?” That was the only lines that character had, but when the movie came out; they just realized I could ad-lib and bring something to the movie and they let me go.

Daily DDT: Do you think that ad-libbing comes from your wrestling, from cutting promos and stuff like that?

Kevin Nash: I think, yeah. I don’t think there’s anything like live. I mean I think there’s a reason why stage actors are so good, because there’s not a take two. You know, if you flub something you gotta try to make it look as seamlessly as possible and move on until you can kind of regroup and let the person across know where the hell you’re at.

Daily DDT: With people like John Cena and Batista [acting] now, do you think that Hollywood is starting to recognize wrestling a bit more, or do you think it’s more of the typecasting still?

Kevin Nash: No, I think that Dwayne [Johnson] has opened the door for all of us. I think that he’s been so box office, and I think the stigma is the opposite. I think the stigma is it’s more of a draw. It’s a very crossover crowd. The thing is, you ever look at a Raw taping or anything like that, the demographic we’re really probably the strongest with is 9 to 12 year old males. But the beauty of that is that 9 to 12 year old males don’t drive, so they gotta drag their mom and dad or their neighbor, and the next thing you know you got a demographic that’s from 9 to 45. I think demographically it’s proven that especially people who say, “No, I’ve never really watched wrestling,” 2 minutes later they’re telling you 5 or 6 different angles they remembered when they were kids. I mean, I grew up watching when I was a kid. I got away from it for a long time because I played basketball, you know that was kind of my love, but then I got injured playing basketball. I came back and went to the arena and watched WWF at the time and I was like, “Wow, I think I can do that. I think that’s something I could do.” 30 years later I’m done, but it was a good run.

Daily DDT: Do you still keep up with basketball?

Kevin Nash: Oh yeah.

Daily DDT: Got any thoughts on who’s going to take the championship away this year in the NBA?

Kevin Nash: To me, it’s almost the same as Michael Jordan and the Bulls. I just don’t see anybody beating Golden State in 7.

Daily DDT: I think Philadelphia could, maybe.

Kevin Nash: Philly’s problem is that they picked up [Tobias] Harris, but Harris is a pick player and Philadelphia runs less pick and rolls. He’s really not a pop out shooter. I think if anything the pickup of him looks like it’s gonna help [JJ] Redick. It’s gonna give Redick a lot more opportunities to shoot. I mean it’s not like Boston’s going to be a cakewalk either.

Daily DDT: No, but if Gordon Hayward was playing at an all-star level again, I think they would have a better shot.

Kevin Nash: After that injury, it’s almost like Grant Hill. Once he had that problem, it’s like he was still Grant Hill, but he’s more of an 18 [points] and 6 [rebounds] guy now than he was a 24 and 10 guy.

Daily DDT: Transitioning a bit, you’re playing someone who’s personal politics and values are different from your own. How has that been?

Kevin Nash: I mean it was like anything else. I mean I’m pro gun, I just don’t think we need assault rifles. At the same time though, it’s just like everybody that seems to do a mass shooting has an assault rifle. So you know its pretty hard to argue with somebody and tell them that you can’t have an assault rifle, but the maniac down the street can. I don’t know, it’s been a very interesting 700-plus days with 45 [Donald Trump]. I was watching the AG thing yesterday, what a debacle.

Daily DDT: Do you think that anybody announced for the 2020 Presidential election so far has a shot at winning?

Kevin Nash: I think [Joe] Biden or Beto [O’Rourke] would be the ticket. I think that would be the way to go. I think [Elizabeth] Warren’s killed herself off.

Daily DDT: Last question, anything else fans can look forward to seeing from you in the coming year?

Kevin Nash: I kind of sat most of last year out because I had a knee replacement. I kind of just rehabbed that and got myself healthy. I’ve got some projects that I’m looking at, and I’m actually meeting with some people while I’m out here in L.A., so hopefully we’ll get some work here shortly.

Kevin Nash can currently be seen on season 2 of “Living The Dream” which is currently airing on Sky One and will become available on BritBox in the coming months.