Posted in: Preview, Starz, Trailer, TV, YouTube | Tagged: Alexander Ludwig, arrow, bleeding cool, cable, cm punk, drama, heels, pro wrestling, ricky rabies, starz, stephen amell, streaming, television, tv, Vikings, wrestling

Heels: STARZ Series First Look at CM Punk's Ricky Rabies Says It All

STARZ is not messing around when it comes to introducing viewers to the world of its upcoming pro-wrestling drama Heels. Over the past several weeks, viewers met Stephen Amell's Jack Spade, Alexander Ludwig's Ace Spade, Mary McCormack's (The Kids Are Alright) Willie, Chris Bauer's (For All Mankind) Wild Bill Hancock, Kelli Berglund's (Animal Kingdom) Crystal Tyler, Alison Luff's (New Amsterdam) Staci Spade, Allen Maldonado's (The Last O.G.) Rooster Robbins, James Harrison's (NFL star) Apocalypse, Trey Tucker's (What Lies Below) Bobby Pin, Robby Ramos' (Snowfall) Diego, Alice Barrett's Carol Spade, series showrunner Mike O'Malley's Charlie Gully, and Duke Davis Roberts' Big Jim Kitchen. But this introduction is a bit more special because it finally answers the question of whether or not retired professional wrestler and actor CM Punk would have a role in front of the camera that found him returning to the ring. Well, that answer rests below as you are formally introduced to Punk's Ricky Rabies- one half of a combo that's also made up by Bonnie Somerville's (Blue Bloods) Vicky Rabies.

In Heels, the focus is on 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 Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig) — war over their late father's legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel. But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

In the ring, Amell's Jack Spade is the charismatic villain, or heel, of the Duffy Wrestling League (DWL). In the real world, he's its hard-working owner, 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 for control. He says he'll do whatever it takes to build the DWL into an empire. Will he go so far as to risk his marriage – or his relationship with his brother, Ace?

Ludwig's Ace Spade is the beloved hero and star of the DWL. 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…

Written by Michael Waldron (Loki), directed by Peter Segal (Shameless), and with Mike O'Malley serving as showrunner, the series also stars Chris Bauer (For All Mankind), Kelli Berglund (Animal Kingdom), Broadway actress/musician Alison Luff, Allen Maldonado (The Last O.G.), James Harrison (S.W.A.T.), Mary McCormack (The Kids Are Alright), David James Elliott (JAG), and Joel Murray (Mad Men). Waldron and O'Malley are also set to executive produce, alongside LBI Entertainment's Julie Yorn, Chris Donnelly, and Patrick Walmsley. STARZ and Lionsgate TV produce.

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