EXCLUSIVE: Chris Jericho will be portraying legendary wrestling pioneer Gorgeous George in Ben Watkin’s upcoming historical drama, The Greatest, a Prime Video limited series that chronicles the life of Muhammad Ali. All eight episodes will be released on Wednesday, November 4.
One of wrestling’s first true mainstream celebrities, Gorgeous George became a television sensation whose flamboyance, swagger, and mastery of self-promotion famously influenced a young Muhammad Ali. Jericho, curls and all, makes his first appearance in the show’s fourth episode.
The Greatest features defining moments in Ali’s life and career, both in and out of the ring, that have been well documented, and moments that took place outside the spotlight. The world remembers an icon, but The Greatest is about a man, a husband, a father, a brother, and a son.
Jaalen Best leads the cast in the role of Ali, and he stars alongside Omari Hardwick and Dana Gourrier, who star as Cassius “Cash” Clay Sr. and his wife Odessa “Bird” Clay, respectively, parents of Muhammad Ali and Rudy Clay (Kai Parham). Amin Joseph plays Sonny Liston, Ali’s rival and the heavyweight champion, and Giovanni Ribisi plays Angelo Dundee. In a recurring role, Michael Ealy plays Malcolm X.
The Greatest is created, executive produced, and created by Watkins and is the first authorized scripted series about the life of Ali. Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali, also executive produced alongside Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, Authentic Studios, Roc Nation, Shawn Carter, Polygram Entertainment, and Grace: A Storytelling Company.
Similar to Gorgeous George, Jericho is best known for entertaining fans in the ring as a wrestler for WWE, then for AEW, where he continues to fight on occasion. His recent acting credits include CBS’ Tracker and Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles. Up next, he will appear on Dexter: Resurrection‘s second season, premiering October 30 on Paramount+. Behind the camera, he executive produced Vietslam: Squashing the Cultural Gap, which explores professional wrestling’s unexpected cultural footprint in Vietnam, and the upcoming horror film Dead of Night, set for a limited theatrical release on November 13.