Jharrel Jerome first spent time with Anthony Robles, the college wrestling champ he portrays in the new film “Unstoppable,” in a gym. Instead of sharing a meal and exchanging in pleasantries at a restaurant or coffee shop, the two men got to know each other by diving into a 45-minute workout, complete with pushups, chest presses and intense cardio.
“I’m not a weak guy, but I’m definitely not a gym rat,” says Jerome. “Seeing Anthony in his element made me realize how much I had to do if I was going to pull this off.”
That wasn’t the only challenge Jerome faced
What made Robles so remarkable on the mat was that he not only dominated his opponents, outmaneuvering them with his quicksilver instincts and viper-like moves — but he rose to the top of the sport despite being born with one leg. That made his wrestling style unconventional, to say the least, requiring him to drop to his knee before springing forward to knock his foes off balance. Jerome spent hours with Robles trying to master his approach.
This was not the typical experience you have when you play a real person, where you watch some YouTube clips and schedule a Zoom meeting where you ask a few questions,” Jerome says. “This was having him coach me for 14 hours a day, repeating the same moves again and again. He taught me to use my fists and my arms and to stretch and pull with all these different parts of my body. It was the most physically challenging thing I’ve ever done.”