One big thing: The Godfather was Charles Wright’s most authentic WWE character
WWE Hall of Famer Charles Wright, best known as The Godfather, revealed that this iconic character was the closest to his real personality.
• Wright portrayed eight different characters during his wrestling career
• The Godfather stands out as his favorite and most authentic gimmick
• The character was suggested by Wright’s wife
Why it matters
The Godfather’s popularity during WWE’s Attitude Era stemmed from Wright’s ability to be himself on screen, showcasing the importance of authenticity in connecting with wrestling fans.
By the numbers
• 8: Number of characters Wright portrayed in his wrestling career
• 2016: Year Wright was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
What they’re saying
“The best thing for me is Godfather because Godfather is me,” Wright told Chris Van Vliet on the “Insight” podcast.
On creative freedom
“I was never scripted. I had carte blanche. Is that crazy? They just wanted me to entertain them.”
The big picture
Wright’s success as The Godfather highlights the impact of allowing wrestlers creative freedom to express their personalities. This approach contributed to the popularity of WWE’s Attitude Era and continues to influence modern wrestling.
Other notable characters
• Kama: Defiant
• Kama Mustafa: Violent
• Papa Shango: Spooky
The bottom line
Charles Wright’s experience as The Godfather demonstrates how aligning a wrestler’s on-screen persona with their real-life personality can lead to memorable and successful characters in professional wrestling.
What do you think about wrestlers being given more creative freedom to develop their characters? Leave a comment below with your thoughts on how this might impact today’s wrestling landscape.
