When news broke that A24 was producing a film based on the Von Erich family, it got other legacy wrestlers like Natalya interested in seeing how one of the most tragic families in professional wrestling would be committed to cellophane.
Would director Sean Durkin be able to capture the move and pain of the first family of Texas wrestling? Or would The Iron Claw fall on its face, with the production leaning too far into one direction or another?
Discussing the movie as part of a larger interview with TV Insider, Natalya celebrated the movie for doing a good job of portraying the complexities of the story and for getting her uncle, Bret Hart, to open up about the Von Erich's connection to his own grandfather Stu Hart.
“I loved The Iron Claw. After watching I said to Bret, ‘Wow, this Von Erich movie is so inspiring and sad at the same time.’ Bret told me, and I never knew this, that Fritz Von Erich got into wrestling through my grandfather. He met my grandfather in Edmonton. My grandfather Stu said he should get into wrestling,” Natalya told TV Insider.
“So had Fritz not met Stu, the Von Erich family may not been in wrestling. Fritz and the family lived on my grandfather’s property, the Hart house. It was so cool because I never knew that. I met Kevin Von Erich and the grandkids and didn’t know this. They told me, ‘Yeah, your family is very special to us.' The Von Erich family is very special to my family. My dad was one of Kerry Von Erich’s last matches, so watching that movie brought back different emotions.”
Asked if there were any actors she would like to see in a hypothetical Hart Foundation movie, Natalya didn't skip a beat, naming Paul Walter Hauser as her ideal pick to play her father, the late, great Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart.
“If I were going to do a movie and could choose who I would personally want to play my dad, it would be Paul Walter Hauser,” Natalya revealed. “Paul is a huge wrestling fan. He just won the Emmy Award and called out [wrestler] Matt Cardona in his acceptance speech. I love Paul’s passion for the industry. I see old footage of my dad and think, ‘If there was a movie on the Hart family, call Paul Walter Hauser.’ I can’t unsee him as my dad. He has to be my dad. I love Paul. I think it’s so commendable that someone from his world has so much respect for us.”
Should a production company make a movie about the Hart Foundation? Yes, if they can get the rights to the old Stampede Wrestling taps and other key aspects of the Hart story, like Bret's WWE music or his actual title belt, it could create a fantastic film that even exceeds The Iron Claw due to the nostalgia based on the Calgary family. Fortunately, it looks like Natalya might be in the early stages of getting that deal done, which is very good news for wrestling fans indeed.
I looked into some of the names Nattie tagged in this post and learned something pretty interesting.
Natalya has been in talks to help with a potential film about the Hart Family!
I hope this comes to fruition! pic.twitter.com/jyb7rONAhS
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) January 24, 2024
Natalya reflects on her WWE longevity.
Elsewhere in her interview with TV Insider, Natalya was asked about her incredible run in WWE, which is currently in Year 17.
How, you may wonder, has Natalya found such incredible longevity? Well, she explained that using a fun anecdote featuring a recent appearance by The Rock on ESPN.
“The other day, I saw The Rock doing an ESPN interview, and he was talking about being third-generation. I’m a third-generation. He says he can’t imagine growing up as a kid in the industry and seeing WWE and wrestling be as big as it is today. When I was a little girl, I always thought once my dad’s carer was done, that was it. Once your career as a wrestler is done, you have to go away. That’s not the way it is anymore. To see The Rock have a huge role in the industry. He doesn’t have to be competing in the ring every night. He is now on the board of directors for WWE and TKO and in this massive way,” Natalya explained.
“He shows that far beyond what we can do in the ring, we can also impact lives. I feel inspired. I’ve been in WWE for 17 uninterrupted years, which is the longest of any woman in WWE history. It’s funny because even now, I love what I do. I love working with women. I love working with women from every walk of life. Girls from NXT, legends, women just debuting, women who are athletes and have never done this before, like Ronda Rousey. I feel so inspired by every woman I get to work with. It’s a true sisterhood and a privilege to be here this long. I feel like I’ve earned my spot and am proud to say I’ve earned my spot.”
Fortunately for Natalya, it looks like she's already found a strong niche for herself in professional wrestling when her career comes to an end, as she's found an incredible second career helping to train up the next generation of Superstars like Liv Morgan, Angelo Dawkins, and Jade Cargill in her version of the Hart Dungeon. When the day eventually comes when she hangs up her boots for good, don't be surprised if she transitions into a full-time trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
Follow Us
Subscribe