Everyone has their own perception of Hulk Hogan, whether positive or negative. Now, his final interviews aim to shed light on who he really was, not just Hulk Hogan, but Terry Bollea.
Netflix is releasing “Hulk Hogan: Real American” on April 22, a four-part docuseries about the wrestling icon’s life. The series intends to peel back the layers of the character and person that became such a polarizing figure.
A Comprehensive Look at Hulk Hogan’s Life
According to his son, Nick Hogan, this is the authority on the Hulk Hogan story. Hulk Hogan had always wanted to tell his complete story, but there wasn’t ever a concrete avenue for it to happen.
That changed when Bryan Storkel, a director of several sports documentaries, approached him about it. Storkel admitted he wasn’t a major wrestling fan, but wondered how to tell the human story, appealing to wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans alike. His goal was to get to know the man Terry, and the man behind Hulk Hogan, uncovering things that haven’t already been seen in the headlines.
The Final Interviews
Nick Hogan recalled his father being excited about the project, and his complete willingness to do the project. Storkel felt the same sentiment, with Hulk Hogan agreeing to just about anything that was asked, feeling like he wanted it to be his ultimate story.
The project was progressing smoothly, and they planned to do another interview with Hogan after doing a series of them. The conversation of having another discussion is included in the series.
However, it didn’t happen, as Hogan died in July at the age of 71.
Storkel wanted to talk to him about a few more things, and the plan was to continue filming. However, they never could have expected him to pass so suddenly.
The Blurring of Lines
Hogan’s death did shift the ending of the series, Storkel said, but it now serves as the final interviews Hogan did in his life.
The age-old question in wrestling is how much of the persona is the character and how much of it is really the person. Sometimes, stars can separate it; others seem to blur the lines.
It felt like the latter often, as it appeared Bollea and Hogan were intertwined. His son said he definitely saw similarities in the two, but they were “ultimately different.” Nick Hoga