WAMG Interview: Sean Patrick Flanery – Writer and Star of BORN A CHAMPION

Sean Patrick Flanery was raised outdoors of Houston, Texas. His first function in Hollywood was a Kellog’s Corn Pops industrial starring alongside Paul Walker. In 1992, he landed the title function in George Lucas’ The Younger Indiana Jones Chronicles Since then, Flanery has been in quite a few movies and TV reveals, together with POWDER, SAW3, SUICIDE KINGS, and the runaway cult hit THE BOONDOCK SAINTS. Off digital camera, Flanery is a excessive rating martial artist having earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from the Renzo Gracie lineage in 2008 and trains commonly when his movie schedule permits. In his new movie BORN A CHAMPION, which he wrote, Flanery performs Mickey Kelley, one of many first American black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who will get pulled away from all the things he loves and into an unsanctioned MMA event.

Sean Patrick Flanery took the time to speak to We Are Film Geeks about his profession and BORN A CHAMPION.

Interview carried out by Tom Stockman December fifteenth, 2020

Tom Stockman:  I watched your film BORN A CHAMPION just lately and actually loved it. 

Sean Patrick Flanery: Thanks quite a bit.

TS: I discovered it thrilling and really properly achieved.I like motion pictures the place I really feel after watching them, that I’ve realized one thing.

SPF: What did you be taught?

TS: I really feel like I realized about this sport of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Technical issues corresponding to the foundations and the dearth of guidelines, and all about these unlawful tent matches that they’ve out within the desert of Dubai. Is that an actual factor?

SPF: It’s sure. The movie is a spot the place my coronary heart has been dwelling for fairly some time. 

TS: And I realized about you seeing this movie. I didn’t know you had written BORN A CHAMPION till I began watching it. 

SPF: Is that proper? 

TS: The place did you get the thought for the story? 

 SPF: Being a martial artist, there are a few boards on the market have been fighters congregate and chat. One known as MMA Underground. You’ve gotten UFC fighters and a few fairly large names within the sport submit and talk about issues there. I wrote a narrative and posted it there a couple of lady I met after I was a younger child after I was first learning martial arts. It bought a fairly good response and instantly after that, I wrote a second story which I didn’t submit to the discussion board. I instantly determined that I wanted to make it into a movie. I wrote that story in 2007, which supplies you an concept of how lengthy it takes to go from story to last movie.  We shot it in the summertime of 2019 so it’s been an extended gestation course of. 

TS: Was Mickey Kelley, the character you play within the movie, based mostly on a real fighter?

SPF: The story relies on quite a lot of truths however Mickey Kelley is totally fictional, however there are a variety of fairly robust truths within the movie. For instance RAW Champ. RAW is an acronym for Actual American Wrestling. It was an academy out in San Pedro. So there’s quite a lot of genuine parts to the story, however no precise Mickey Kelley, however having mentioned that, there are quite a lot of Mickey Kelleys on the market. 

TS: Did you do all your personal fights and stunts within the movie? 

SPF: I positive did. 

TS: Have been there any accidents throughout the making of this movie? 

SPF: No, no accidents. That is one thing I do each day so in a method, it was one other day on the workplace but it surely was a pleasure and a pleasure to do it in entrance of a digital camera. 

TS: When did you begin preventing? 

SPF: I began in martial arts after I was 9 years previous. Lots of people speak about being impressed by Bruce Lee for stepping into martial arts.  My inspiration was truly Elvis Presley. I noticed him singing Suspicious Minds on the Vegas stage and he was sporting a jumpsuit that appeared like a kimono and was doing these karate kicks. I requested my dad if he was doing karate. My dad, who had been a Golden Gloves boxer, mentioned that sure, Elvis had skilled with Ed Parker in Kempo Karate. I simply thought I’d love to do this. We didn’t come from some huge cash however at some point I noticed a lady in white pants pushing a bicycle with a flat tire. She was carrying her karate gi high within the basket, and I adopted her as she went into this little karate studio that was subsequent to a Piggly Wiggly Grocery store. I went in there and that’s how I bought into martial arts. I adopted a lady, identical to all the things else in my life. 

TS: If you have been rising up, have been you a film buff? Did you want the flicks that star actors like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris? 

SPF: Completely, however I’ve at all times been a narrative buff.  A number of the greatest tales I’ve ever heard have been firsthand tales from my grandfather and my dad.  All of us liked motion pictures. John Ford motion pictures. John Wayne movies, During Clint Eastwood  and Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, all of that.  It was an enormous a part of my upbringing in addition to different movies. I favored all the massive WWII battle tales like MIDWAY. I’d see these with my dad they usually had a profound impression on me. 

TS: Talking of MIDWAY, there was a remake of that final yr costarring Dennis Quaid, who’s your costar in BORN A CHAMPION. Discuss working with Dennis Quaid. 

SPF: Dennis Quaid is likely one of the easiest individuals I’ve ever had the chance to work with. By means of and thru, on the set and off, that dude is 100% genuine and an ideal instance of a gentleman.  I had an exquisite time working with him.  He was kind of the conscience of the piece. I don’t assume the movie would’ve labored almost as properly with out him. 

TS: He’s certainly one of my favourite up to date actors as properly. I believe he’s a type of actors that simply elevates all the things he’s in. 

SPF: You’re completely proper. 

TS: Your nemesis Marco on this film is performed by a giant charismatic man named Edson Barboza. Discuss him a bit bit. 

SPF: Edson is a really high-ranked UFC fighter. I had him in my thoughts after I wrote this script. I used to be making an attempt to get in touch with him and located him on Fb.  He didn’t reply to me at first, however I despatched his spouse a message that I had written a narrative and wished to solid her husband and wished to see if he could be serious about studying it.  She responded, after which he responded.  He’s a consummate skilled and might be scary wanting, however he couldn’t be extra docile in particular person. He was so frightened about anybody getting injured. He’s a real pal to at the present time.

TS: Sure, and he has presence. I can see him getting different villain roles in movies based mostly on his efficiency in BORN A CHAMPION.  You mentioned you wrote the screenplay in 2007. You additionally wrote a novel known as Jane Two. Was that after you had written the BORN A CHAMPION screenplay? 

SPF: I wrote the novel proper across the similar time. I accumulate little items I known as “thought trash”. Anytime I’ve a part of a narrative, I write it on no matter is helpful, be it a sweet wrapper or the cardboard on the backside of a field of donuts.  So I used to be writing each of these about the identical time, however the guide truly got here out in 2016, so it beat the movie by three years. 

TS: Do you need to write extra? 

SPF: The storytelling side is one thing that I get pleasure from completely. From the inception, to the thought, to seeing it realized visually after which combining it with the musical ingredient. Once I look again, each single pronounced second that has occurred in my previous has a soundtrack. You might be driving down the highway and listening to a preferred tune, otherwise you scent the chlorophyll within the air from freshly lower grass and that will set off a reminiscence. Making an attempt to re-create that mixture I discover in the end thrilling and therapeutic  on the similar time. If the general public consumes it, or digests it, and finally ends up with a smile on their face, then  possibly somebody will ask you to do it once more. I do get pleasure from it and I hope to write down one other movie once more. 

TS: I can inform by watching this movie that you simply love what you do. You’re a busy man. The place do you educate jujitsu?

SPF: I truly began my first martial arts Academy in Los Angeles in 2003.  I moved to Texas about three years in the past when my dad and mom grew to become sick so began a Brazilian jujitsu Academy right here in Houston.  I educate each single day. Developing later this month I’m commentating an enormous occasion for Submission Grappling in Houston, so this side of my life takes up quite a lot of time, although my bread-and-butter is the movie and leisure trade . This helped my sanity after I’m in-between movies and ready for the cellphone to ring.

TS: I met you at eight or 9 years in the past at a film conference right here in St. Louis.  Did you do quite a lot of these and do you miss doing these? 

SPF: I do. Being within the movie trade you don’t get rapid suggestions, which is like nourishment for the soul.  I really like being in movies, however the suggestions is delayed. The increase operator holding the mic is just not taking note of your efficiency. They’re too busy specializing in their job.  So on the finish of the scene, you might have thought that you simply poured your soul out, however the director says “lower” and everybody simply walks over to the following set.  You’re type of left questioning how you probably did.  Going to those conventions is while you actually get the first-hand expertise of the viewer. To me they’re invaluable. I completely love these moments.  Being on panels at these conventions are a few of my favourite moments from being within the leisure trade. You’ve gotten a crowd of people that occur to like one thing that you simply did, or hate one thing that you simply did, however they need to hear you speak about it. You get that first-hand expertise.

TS: On the con the place I met you, you and David Della Rocco have been on stage collectively. Norman Reedus was supposed to indicate up and be part of you guys however he by no means made it there the entire weekend. Do you keep in mind that one? 

SPF: I do. Anytime Norman has a weekend free and I do as properly, we wish to meet up in a metropolis for a type of. We’ve got been buddies since 1998, however we truly first met in 1994. However that has occurred on a couple of event the place he has not been in a position to present up. Typically filming will get delayed, and that’s what occurs while you’re on a preferred present like he was (The Strolling Useless). 

TS: Are you shocked on the depth of the cult following that THE BOONDOCK SAINTS nonetheless has?  I’ve seen guys with THE BOONDOCK SAINTS tattoos. 

SPF: I believe you’re at all times shocked when one thing takes on that large of a life.  Folks see possibly one % of the issues that we now have achieved all through our careers  so when one thing is what they name a cult hit,  and it begins rising and it appears to  by no means cease rising, it’s mesmerizing  and astounding. You’d love to have the ability to replicate that recipe and make one thing like that every single day. I’m blown away and honored to have been a part of one thing that evokes someone to get a tattoo of it.  It’s flattering. 

TS: What’s your subsequent challenge Sean? 

SPF: I’ve bought one challenge within the works however I can’t actually speak about a lot proper now. An announcement goes to be made quickly a couple of fairly cool TV present that’s arising on Amazon prime.  I can’t say an excessive amount of, however I’m going to be on that. 

TS: Effectively possibly we are able to discuss once more while you’re engaged on that. Good luck with BORN A CHAMPION. It’s a terrific movie. 

SPF: I respect that. I actually do.