AEW star Hook on wrestling roots, acting passion and rise across two industries

AEW star Hook spoke to amNewYork Friday on carving out his legacy, taking on acting, and his hunt for championship gold.

The 26-year-old grappler sat down with amNewYork ahead of AEW taking over the Hammerstein Ballroom on Saturday and Sunday for Dynamite and Collision. A fan favorite, Hook recently aligned himself with bad guy and current AEW champ Samoa Joe, someone Hook says he has had a long personal relationship with.

“I mean, Joe and I have a lot of history. We go all the way back. My father and him have a lineage, and Joe’s almost like an uncle to me, so my affiliation with him is a no-brainer,” Hook said.

Hook is the son of ECW legend Taz, who became famous for epic, violent brawls with the likes of Bam Bam Bigelow, Sabu, Mike Awesome, and more. However, despite continuing his father’s legacy by being the last person to hold the FTW championship, the same title his dad first held, he has also carved out his own unique space in the industry.

“When I was a kid, my dad told him to be anything but a pro wrestler, but the business he was a part of is much different than the business today,” Hook explained. “I definitely, of course, always want to pay a homage to who my father is throughout my entire career. But I really want to make a point to make sure that I’m my own person, and people don’t just look at me as Taz’s kid.”

In addition to taking over the ring, Hook shared that he has also developed a great passion for acting. Starring in the 2205 short film Money Talks directed by his longtime friend, Tony Mucci, Hook plays a debt collector. The movie received praise at the Tribeca Festival and ignited a passion for acting in the pro wrestler.

AEW star Hook. Photo by Dean Moses

“Every single thing from pro wrestling parallels something in acting and vice versa. I really feel working on one craft helps build the other. And I almost feel like pro wrestling is this weird, interesting type of intense force for acting, in a way, and something I get to work on developing a character, week by week,” Hook said. “There are so many parallels, it is really fun exploring.”

Hook revealed that he dropped out of college alongside Mucci, and both of them embarked on their own journeys, but were able to reconnect to make their dream project, Money Talks, a reality. The short even qualified for an Oscar. Even before the dropout, Hook said he loved the idea of both acting and wrestling as a combination of artistry and athleticism.

It is this dual passion that fuels Hook’s self-belief, defining a mindset rooted in ambition, legacy, and long-term impact. This weekend, Hook says he’ll bring that drive into the ring as he continues to carve out his place in the squared circle.

“I mean, I consider myself the greatest second-generation Wrestler of all time. I’m looking for a belt. I’m looking for all the belts, looking when everything I want to go down to greats, go down to one of the best ever wrestling, and on top of that, I want to go down to one of the greats in acting,” Hook said.