Deadline reports that Vikings alum Alexander Ludwig has been tapped for a leading role opposite Arrow star Stephen Amell in Starz‘s upcoming wrestling drama Heels. Ludwig is set to portray the role of beloved hero and star of the DWA named Ace Spade.
His official character description reads: “Things are more difficult in the real world, where he struggles to reconcile his town idol status with his insecurities and demons. He’s brash, cocky and self-destructive — yet so damn charming and good-looking that you can almost forgive him. If he can keep it together, he’ll have a ticket out of Duffy and to the big time. But that’s a big if.”
Ludwig’s will next be seen in Roland Emmerich’s Midway and in action comedy threequel Bad Boys for Life.
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Heels will be an 8-episode hourlong drama which tells the story of the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack (Amell) and Ace (Ludwig) Spade, war over their late father’s legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel (Amell). But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.
Amell will play the role of Jack Spade, the hard-working owner of the wrestling organization, a husband and father trying to make ends meet while fighting to realize his impossible dreams. He has the mind of an artist in the body of a warrior, and a Steve Jobs-ian need for perfection and control.
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Heels is written by Michael Waldron with Mike O’Malley as serving as the showrunner. Waldron and O’Malley are also set as executive producers along with LBI Entertainment’s Julie Yorn, Chris Donnelly and Patrick Walmsley. The series is produced by Lionsgate TV and Paramount TV.
Amell has some experience on the wrestling ring, through his various guest appearances on WWE including a one-on-one match against Arrow guest star Cody Rhodes aka Stardust at WWE’s 2015 SummerSlam.
