MJF isn’t apologizing for balancing Hollywood and the AEW World Championship — and he’s definitely not apologizing for protecting his body while doing it.
During a recent interview in Australia, Maxwell Jacob Friedman opened up about his growing acting career, which includes roles in Happy Gilmore 2 and Violent Night 2, and addressed whether he’s becoming a part-timer in All Elite Wrestling. The AEW World Champion made it clear he always planned to conquer both worlds. When asked if he was surprised by how quickly he’s transitioned into movies, MJF said it was part of the vision from day one.
“No. I’m 29. I’m feeling fine. I’ve accomplished more in professional wrestling than most people could ever dream of with a 30-year career. I’ve been doing this for 10. I’ve not even hit 30 yet. I’m a legend. Crazy.”
He then explained that wrestling and acting were always his twin goals. MJF credited his confidence and charisma for opening doors in both industries.
“As far as the acting career goes, you know, growing up, the two things I wanted to do was professional wrestling and acting. It was always my two biggest passions.”
“And yeah, I just think God afforded me the gift of Gabby. He afforded me the ability to entertain, whether people like me or not, the ability to entertain.”
“I really, really enjoy being on set of a movie. I would say I love making movies as much as I do making magic in pro wrestling.”
The conversation then shifted to whether splitting time between film sets and AEW television makes him a part-timer — and whether that’s a bad thing. MJF didn’t hesitate to address the physical toll of professional wrestling. He even took a shot at Eddie Kingston in the process.
“Look, it’s not a bad thing at all. It’s less bumps I gotta take and less CTE I’m walking towards.”
“You know, a guy like Eddie Kingston, he’s already got full-blown CTE. Let’s be honest. I mean, the guy doesn’t even know where he is anymore.”
Still, Friedman insisted that Hollywood won’t pull him away from AEW. He described the grind of juggling both careers, flying back and forth between film shoots and television tapings — even after brutal matches.
“No matter how big I get in acting, I am always going to try to fit professional wrestling into my schedule as much as possible.”
“For example, while I was shooting Violent Night 2 and Happy Gilmore 2, I was on television.”
“I would do TV. I would get on a jet. I would fly to Winnipeg. I would shoot. And then I’d get back on a jet and I would go back to TV.”
And yes, that includes working through pain, “Even after a tables and tacks match,” he said. MJF’s message is clear: he’s chasing longevity while stacking accolades. At just 29 years old, he’s already positioning himself as both a top-tier AEW World Champion and a rising Hollywood name — and he sees no conflict in protecting his health while doing it.
Do you think MJF balancing acting and wrestling is smart career management, or does a world champion need to be full-time in the ring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and drop your feedback.