An Aberdeen wrestler has been awarded a place at a prestigious acting school in New York – carrying dreams of starring as a villain in a Marvel movie.
When he was 16 years old, Sam Wilson went under the tuition of Aberdeen grappling legend Len Ironside and entered the world of wrestling.
The Findon teen was committed to the craft and in 2019, at only 19 years old, he made a trip accompanied by Len to the World Wrestling Network Academy in Florida.
He went by the wrestling name Leo King and later Leo Ironside.
Sam Wilson, now 25, is about to begin a new adventure into the world of acting.
With his aspiration to star in TV and film, he has been offered a place at Stella Adler Studio of Acting in June.
Alumni of the school include award-winning actor Robert De Niro, Spiderman 3 actress Bryce Dallas Howard and Stranger Things and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actress Maya Hawke.
He is carrying on his wrestling name to his acting career – and will be known as Leo Ironside.
‘Leo Ironside’ to enter the world of acting
When Sam went to the USA for wrestling, he realised others who trained there were in a “whole other league”.
“Going from Scottish and British wrestling to America is kind of like taking your first boxing class and then getting thrown into the world championships overnight,” he explained to The Press and Journal.
“A year and a half in, I started seeing that it’s going to take a lot more effort to go into wrestling which I was trying to do. And also trying to manage going into a whole other league was a tough transition.”
However, in July 2023, Sam suffered a health scare. The doctor told him to take time to rest to find out what was going on.
It was the first three months Sam had since he started wrestling in 2016 that he was able to breathe and look at things from a different perspective.
Aberdeen wrestler going to acting school in New York
Then, he decided to take his first acting class where they went over the film The Pianist starring Adrien Brody.
He was shown the stages of what it takes to be an actor, and from that moment, Sam was hooked.
“For some weird reason, it was like a spark hit in the back of my head.
“Almost similar to what happened when I first entered the wrestling ring,” he said.
“I looked at it as I can go back to wrestling or I can try acting and see what happens.
“I don’t give up very easily. And if I’m focused into one thing, I try give it 100%.”
Sam is starting at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in June.
Skip Woods, writer of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is helping Sam find his feet in the industry.
As he prepares to go to the school, he is doing 90-hour work weeks across acting jobs and other smaller jobs.
He added that there are three “very big” projects he is looking forward to working on soon.
‘I would love to be a Marvel villain’
Sam said at one point he ‘would love’ to play as a villain.
He added: “It’s a bit of a long-shot but I wouldn’t mind doing a Marvel movie.
“I’d love to play a villain.
“I think that’s always been the fun aspect of wrestling.”
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