The Truth About Acting & Why It’s Harder Than Fighting | Sean Carrigan DSH #1253

Summary

Digital Social Hour: The Truth About Acting & Why It’s Harder Than Fighting | Sean Kerrigan DSH #1253

Release Date: March 20, 2025

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Introduction

In episode #1253 of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly engages in a compelling conversation with actor and former boxer Sean Kerrigan. Titled "The Truth About Acting & Why It’s Harder Than Fighting," the episode delves deep into Kerrigan’s multifaceted journey from the boxing ring to the silver screen, exploring themes of perseverance, identity, and personal struggle.

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Early Life and Sports Beginnings

Sean Kerrigan opens up about his early exposure to boxing, influenced heavily by his father who was passionate about training fighters. Kerrigan recounts his childhood summers and winters spent in northern Virginia, where his father instilled a love for the sport.

Sean Kerrigan [00:00]: "I would go up and visit my dad all the time up in D.C. lived right outside D.C. northern Virginia. And he'd start training fighters. And that's when, you know, I just kind of fell in love with it."

Kerrigan explains that his initial attraction to boxing stemmed from feelings of powerlessness during childhood, seeking a way to defend himself and build confidence.

Sean Kerrigan [00:24]: "I had moments when I was a kid where I felt like, powerless and I wanted to have a sense of power and being able to defend myself and stand up to people."

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Boxing and Wrestling Career

Kerrigan details his amateur boxing career, highlighting the rigorous training and numerous fights across the country. He also shares his wrestling background, emphasizing the mental and physical discipline required in both sports.

Sean Kerrigan [08:28]: "I went to Jay Robinson intensive wrestling camp... I wrestled with him every day for 28 days."

Through relentless effort and dedication, Kerrigan transformed from a struggling athlete into one of the top wrestlers in Florida during his senior year of high school.

Sean Kerrigan [10:15]: "I registered in two weight classes, and then I'd be in the finals in both."

Kerrigan underscores the importance of the mental aspect in sports, drawing parallels to legendary coaches like Phil Jackson.

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Personal Struggles and Family Issues

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Kerrigan's family dynamics and personal challenges. He candidly discusses his brothers' struggles with addiction and legal issues, illustrating the turbulent environment he grew up in.

Sean Kerrigan [21:03]: "Both my brothers have been in and out of jail... they were selling drugs at one point."

Kerrigan recounts a harrowing incident where he had to rescue his older brother from a dangerous situation, showcasing his commitment to family.

Sean Kerrigan [24:15]: "He was in some like, you know, some like, worn out house... I had to go rescue my brother."

Despite these challenges, Kerrigan emphasizes the strong bond he shares with his siblings and the importance of family support in overcoming adversity.

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Transition to Acting

Transitioning from sports to acting was a pivotal moment in Kerrigan’s life. He describes his passion for acting from a young age, inspired by iconic films like Star Wars. Balancing athletics and acting in high school laid the foundation for his dual career aspirations.

Sean Kerrigan [29:07]: "I used to tell people... I'm going to try to be an All American in wrestling... then I'm going to become an actor."

After a brief professional boxing career, Kerrigan received his SAG card from a UPN pilot, signaling his commitment to pursuing acting full-time despite his father's skepticism.

Sean Kerrigan [31:10]: "Once I got my SAG card, I was like, I'm gonna go to New York. I'm gonna go to LA. I'm gonna give up my boxing career."

Navigating the competitive acting industry, Kerrigan shares insights about his move to Los Angeles and the challenges he faced initially, including limited opportunities and persistent determination.

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Current Projects and Future Plans

Kerrigan discusses his film "Grace Point," highlighting its significance both professionally and personally. The movie's themes of addiction and familial bonds resonate deeply with his own experiences, making the role profoundly meaningful.

Sean Kerrigan [23:07]: "The character, main character, struggles with addiction... it's about a father and a son trying to find his father."

He also touches upon his upcoming project, "Demonetized," set to release in April, expressing excitement over the film’s positive reception.

Sean Kerrigan [01:06]: "I just shot something called Demonetized. It's coming out in April."

Kerrigan shares his personal life updates, including the joyous news of expecting twins, illustrating his dedication to building a stable and supportive family environment.

Sean Kerrigan [28:10]: "We're having twins. I told her, we need two for one. I'm not getting any younger."

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with Kerrigan reflecting on his journey, the support from his family, and his unwavering passion for both acting and boxing. He encourages listeners to watch "Grace Point," underscoring the hard work and emotional depth invested in the film.

Sean Kerrigan [35:18]: "I'm on Instagram. Follow me on the real Sean Kerrigan. And, you know, do us a favor. Go out and buy or rent Grace Point."

Host Sean Kelly wraps up the conversation, highlighting Kerrigan's resilience and dedication, leaving listeners inspired by his story of overcoming adversity and pursuing one's passions relentlessly.

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Notable Quotes

• Sean Kerrigan [10:45]: "It's the mental side of sports that separates the best athletes from everyone else."
• Sean Kerrigan [12:30]: "I was like, I see everything. I started seeing punches coming at me."
• Sean Kerrigan [18:07]: "This next round ain't about boxing. This next round is about heart."
• Sean Kerrigan [27:30]: "Families meant so much to me over the years that I'll do anything for them."

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Connect with Sean Kerrigan

Stay updated with Sean Kerrigan’s latest projects and personal journey by following him on Instagram at @realSeanKerrigan. Don’t miss out on his latest films, including the gripping "Grace Point," available on Amazon and Apple TV.

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Listen to Digital Social Hour for more unfiltered and inspiring conversations with thought-provoking figures from around the world.

Transcript

[Sean Kerrigan]

I would go up and visit my dad all the time up in D.C. lived right outside D.C. northern Virginia. And he'd start training fighters. And that's when, you know, I just kind of fell in love with it. Watched him, you know, train of fighters. I was around a gym and, you know, being that I was little, you know, I just like, you know, I had moments when I was a kid where I felt like, powerless and I wanted to have, I wanted to have a sense of power and being able to defend myself and stand up to people. And, you know, being around a boxing gym seemed like the way to go. And so my dad, my dad was all about, you know, being Irish and, you know, boxer.

[Unknown Host]

Fighting Irish.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, that's it. And so my, me and my brothers, my dad trained me and my brothers and so I would spend all my summers and winters up there and, and then, you know, eventually I lived up there after college and, and that's when I like, you know, I had my, a lot of my amateur fights.

[Unknown Host]

All right, guys, fellow Sean here today. Got an actor and new release, right? Grace Point.

[Sean Kerrigan]

That's right, Grace Point.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, just came comes, it's out already.

[Sean Kerrigan]

But it's out on Amazon and Apple tv.

[Unknown Host]

I love it, man. And so was that your most recent film?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, actually I just shot something called Demonetized. It's coming out in April. But yeah, Grace Point. You know, we've been working. Rory Carp, the guy who directed it, he's been working on this film, put getting this film together for a long time and, and we got a great cast and we shot it a few years ago and it's finally coming out and. Yeah, you know, and we're happy it's getting the attention it deserves.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. It must be tough these days to make, make a top selling movie, right?

[Sean Kerrigan]

You know, I think so. I mean, you know, it's a tough time, you know, a lot, lot going on with, you know, streaming and, you know, movies. It's just, you know, and, and plus there's like so many distractions in the world, you know what I mean? So it's, it's hard to get people to sit down for a whole film. But our, you know, our movie's good and, you know, hopefully people watch it.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, yeah. I feel like there's a power shift towards the streaming platforms now. It seems like they're having a lot of power.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, they are. I mean, you know, that's, that's the way the world goes, you know, I mean, it's for convenience because I've Had.

[Unknown Host]

A lot of documentary filmmakers on the podcast, and they have numerous stories of how they can't even get on Netflix because they said certain things in the documentary.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Oh, right. Yeah. I mean, look, you know, at the end of the day, you know, people just trying to get their stuff made and get it seen, and, you know, I think there's. It. I think the. The. The platform has gone. Gotten bigger for that.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

But now it's just getting flooded. And so, you know, people, you know, and I don't know what, you know, sponsorships people have with other, you know, know, with. With stuff, you know, stuff on their site and why they won't air movies and stuff like that. Like, I'm. I'm just an actor, man. Yeah. You know, just.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. It's cool, though. You're seeing alternative routes. Andrew Schultz, who's a comedian, ended up launching a special on his own site, and it crushed it.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

So there's other routes.

[Sean Kerrigan]

He's super funny.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. I love that guy. Have you seen him in performance? Live performance?

[Sean Kerrigan]

I haven't seen Andrew Schultz, but I, you know, I bounce around the Comedy Store quite a bit, and, you know, I see. See a lot of guys, you know, you know. Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Theo Von's crushing her now. Shout out to Theo. There's some good comedians these days, man. It's a new era.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. Dean Del Re. Dean Del Re, he does a lot of work with Bill Burr. You know, I'm a big fan of Dean Del Re. And Bill Burr is obviously, you know, the king.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. Hard to beat that, man. I want to talk about your boxing career. So you said it started at 16.

[Sean Kerrigan]

So, yeah, man, I was little growing up, and, you know, my parents got divorced when I was really young, so I moved down to Miami, Florida, and started living down there with my mom. And I would go up and visit my dad all the time up in D.C. live right outside D.C. northern Virginia, and he'd start training fighters. And that's when, you know, I just kind of fell in love with it. Watched him, you know, train in fighters. I was around a gym, and, you know, being that I was little, you know, I just, like, you know, I. I had moments when I was a kid where I felt, like, powerless. And I wanted to have. I wanted to have a sense of power and being able to defend myself and stand up to people. And, you know, being around a boxing gym seemed like the way to go. And so my dad. My dad was all about, you know, being Irish and, you know, boxer and fighting Irish. But that's. It and so my, me and my brothers, my dad trained me and my brothers and so I would spend all my summers and winters up there and, and then you know, eventually I lived up there after college and, and that's when I like, you know, I had my, a lot of my amateur fights. I fought all over the country. My dad would like every other weekend we'd like be going off somewhere. He would find fights that were going off in, in Roanoke or you know, West Virginia or you know, up in New New Jersey. He would just find fights for, for all of us to go to. I mean one time we went to Boston.

[Unknown Host]

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[Sean Kerrigan]

To fight in Brockton. I mean it was just like my dad was always trying to get his son's fights.

[Unknown Host]

Wow. Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

I mean when we were real young. I've even got a picture of it. My brother, my brother's three and a half years older than me and my dad laced this up when I was like 9. My brother was 12 and he's just, he's like about to, they, they caught the photo right as he's about to land a right hand right on my head. Yeah, yeah.

[Unknown Host]

You were scrapping with your brother?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah. But that's one thing my dad like he loved like you know, putting gloves on the kids and we'd all like get out in the yard and wow, get after it.

[Unknown Host]

So he had some tough love to him.

[Sean Kerrigan]

That's, I think that's, I mean that's what you know, when he was, when he was coming up he, he grew up in Alcoa, Tennessee and you know, his uncles were prize fighters and, and, and they would, they would lace up all the cousins and put gloves on them and then, and then, you know, they'd, they'd all go to, you know, go to battle out in the backyard. And my, my dad was like, you know, he was, he was one of the better ones.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, that's how it was back in the day, man. My dad grew up on a farm and he was scrapping all the time.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. You could lay hands on people in school, even back then, but now you get immediately suspended.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, it's a lot. I think there's a lot of fight stories back then. Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Different era now. People fight online.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Cyberbullying or whatever. Yeah, it's a much different era, but at the same time, mental health's worse, so you kind of start to wonder, like, which one was better.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, I mean, I mean, it's a toss up.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. Would you rather get physically beat up or mentally assaulted on the Internet? I guess.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Oh, I'll take an ass kicking. Yeah, I'll take a physical ass kicking, man.

[Unknown Host]

Man. So that was kind of your destiny from a young age then, fighting?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Well, I, you know, look, man, you know, I wasn't very good when I like, it's interesting because I was real small and I wanted to wrestle and box. Those are my two sports. And I started out wrestling in high school and I just, I was terrible. I wasn't very good. I was weak. I was small. And I think I started at 119, my, my. Wow. My sophomore year. And then I went up to 130my junior year. I never even made it to the, to the, to the regional tournament, you know, in Day county. And, and, and so I didn't even make it to regions, man. You know, regionals. And, you know, right before my senior year, I wrestled freestyle and then I went off to a summer camp.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Went to Jay Robinson intensive wrestling camp in Min. University of Minnesota before my senior year in high school. And I wrestled with the guy who was a state runner up in, In Michigan. I wrestled with him every day for 28 days. And it was just me and him became pals. And then, and then you just wrestled. They had you working out at J. Rob. They had you wrestling, you know, a couple times a day. Then you were doing, you were doing runs in the morning, you're doing weightlifting, and then they had you write out all your goals. I came back my senior year and, and just destroying everybody and one. One of the best wrestlers and in Florida my senior year. So it was. I Had a good. I had a good senior year, but I never even wrestled. I never even wrestled in a regional tournament and. And, you know, went to state championships. Didn't do as well as I wanted to, but, you know, got to. Got to go off to college, and I wrestled D1 in college.

[Unknown Host]

Amazing. That's a great story of just being in the right environment. Right. Because you had the feel inside you. You just needed someone to help bring that out.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. And, you know, and that. That camp, Jay Robinson Intensive Camp was, you know, they. We had a. We had a shirt that. That we would all wear, said, I'm going to heaven because I've been through hell. Jay Robinson Intensive passing camp.

[Unknown Host]

I love it.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And so I don't know what I did with that shirt, but I wish I could find it.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, that sounds like a legendary shirt. I love that quote, though.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

You got to go through some tough stuff if you want to make it to the top.

[Sean Kerrigan]

You do. And. And what was great about that, that. That camp was, you know, you know, they had us writing out goals and just, like, in. And just doing things that, you know, pushing you farther than you realized you could go. And so I came back that year, my senior year, and preseason tournaments. I would wrestle 145 and 152. I'd go, and I'd like. I'd register in two weight classes, and then I'd be in the finals in both, and then.

[Unknown Host]

That's hard to do.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. And so. Yeah, man. So that was. You know, it was. It was. It was a. It was a good. It was a good career, you know, in high school, and. And, you know, I did some.

[Unknown Host]

That's why I love the mental side of sports, actually, which is why I don't know if you watch basketball, but I think Phil Jackson's the goat.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Because he just had the mental side of the sport on lock.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Make the players meditate, write out goals, like you're saying. Yeah. I think that's kind of what separates the best athletes from, like, everyone else.

[Sean Kerrigan]

The mental side, you know, Man, I think. I think you're right. It's just. It's just a matter of. Of just working, working, working. For me, you know, I've always kind of fell on my face quite a bit. You know, it seems like I. You know, I fall down 10 times before I actually succeed. And, you know, it was the same thing of boxing. There was a guy in the gym when I was. When I was younger, when I first started. He'd been boxing since he was five Years old, and he just, you know. You know, he was just better. He was just better than me because he'd been boxing so long, I was just starting, and. And he would just beat my ass all the time. All the time. And my dad, on the drives, you know, we'd be driving home, and my dad would just be like, just keep working. Just keep working. Just keep working. And he's like, one of these days, it's going to be like, you know, a light bulb goes off. It's like a window's going to open, and all of a sudden you're gonna. You're gonna see. You're gonna see the punches. You're gonna see things coming at you, and it's just to, like, get easier. He's like, you just got to keep working. So I listened to it. I'd go back to the gym, and again, you know, we. We'd box, we'd spar. He'd beat my ass again. And my dad would just say, just keep working. Just keep working. Just keep working. You work harder. You work hard. And so. And then, next thing you know, he was. My dad was right. He was like. All of a sudden, one day, it was just like, you know, it's like the window open. I was like, oh, wait a second. I'm like, I see everything. I like, you know, I started seeing punches coming at me. I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa. No way. No way. You know, and then that. That guy, that. That. That guy, that kid, he never. He never beat me after that.

[Unknown Host]

Oh, really?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

It was like an overnight thing for you?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, it was. It was just like. And it was just like my dad said, it's like, one day, wow, the light went off and that. But that comes with hard work.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And, you know, it's the same thing, you know, in. In wrestling, you know, it's like. It was just hard work, hard work, hard work. So I was just lucky to do two sports that. That, you know, that just spoke to me, you know, and. And really gave me a sense of identity because I kind of felt lost. Most of my high school career until my senior year, you felt lost.

[Unknown Host]

Like, just overall, it just felt, like.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Unseen, you know, just didn't really have a sense of identity. That's the thing I love about sports is, is working hard at something gives you character. And then all of a sudden, you know, you start having some success, and you start to, like, feel, okay, this is like, I am here. I am. I'm seeing. I'm seeing this hard work pay off. And it was Valuable for me, absolutely.

[Unknown Host]

I attribute. I was a track runner in high school, and that helped me find myself and learn mental discipline, too. But, like, like you, I was. I was lost in high school, man, my identity. I was pretending to be someone I wasn't for sure.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, it was. It was tough, man. I just. I think, you know, I was smaller and. And, you know, I didn't really have the right direction, and, you know, I found wrestling and boxing, and it changed my life.

[Unknown Host]

So you really tied a lot of your identity to your. Your height and size?

[Sean Kerrigan]

I think so. I think I did because, you know, I felt like everybody was bigger than me.

[Unknown Host]

Was that intimidating to you?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, I think. I think especially in junior high. Junior high was rough.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And then 9th and 10th grade, you just, you know, you want to be taken seriously, and, you know, you. You just. Yeah, you know, it's just when you. When you. I attributed. I attributed, like, being not being able to, like, stand up to being scared. Okay, I'll give you an example. Give you an example. What I'm saying. When I was in junior high, they were. There was a big fight right out in. Out in the yard, and a couple of my friends were outnumbered, and a bunch of guys jumped in, and I, like, I went to, like, go help, and I froze. I froze because I was scared, and I felt like. I just. I, Like, I literally couldn't make myself. I couldn't make, like, something scared. Yeah, I couldn't make myself go help. Now a bunch of other. My friends jumped in and, like, you know, they. They got out of the situation, but it's still, like, that feeling of. Of, like, being scared and frozen. I was like, dude, I can't. I can't live my life like this. I don't want to live my life like that. And that's why, you know, I think I. I turned to wrestling and why I turned to boxing, and there's nothing like, you know, Rory, my. My buddy Rory Carpool is on here. Yeah, his director, and, you know, he said he always wanted to have the one fight. He wanted to know what that's like when you're walking out to, you know, taking that. That walk out to the ring. And he wanted to know, like, you know, what that feels like, and I wanted to know what that felt like. I wanted to know that, like, I can. I can. I can conquer being scared and frozen and. And that's why I did it. And that, you know, that when you first walk out. That first fight that I had, I fought a guy named Leonard Johnson. From Alexandria Boxing Club at the Olympia Boxing Club in Falls Church, Virginia. And it was a big smoker event. And I, you know, walking out to that ring was one of the. One of the scariest moments in my life because I was like, why am I doing this? Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this? You know, and you, your part of you wants to chicken out.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And then I just forced myself, like, you have to, you have to, you have to. And then you get in there and then you start mixing it up and you're like, all right, I can. I can do this. I can do this. And conquering your fears. And I think that's what it is. It's, you know, the thing about boxing and wrestling is you learn to conquer your fears. Learn. Learn to, like, you know, to really, like, stand up and fight for yourself. And, you know, there's. There was an interesting thing that happened in that fight is my first fight. And between. So it was a three round, you know, there's a three rounder. And between rounds two and three, you know, me and this guy had been going at it. We had been going at it, and I was, I was doing really well. And Jim Ed Jones, who was my trainer at the time with my dad, Jim Ed Jones, said to me in the middle of round two and three, he goes, hey, this next round, this next round ain't about boxing. This next round is about heart. It's about how much heart you got. You go out there and you give it everything. This round is about heart. It's about what you got inside. You get out there and you get it. You take it. You take it right now. And I've never forgotten that.

[Unknown Host]

Wow.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And. And I went out there and, you know, just, you know, put it on the guy. And it was one of the greatest moments of my life. And. And I'll never forget that. That, that advice.

[Unknown Host]

Wow.

[Sean Kerrigan]

You know, and go ahead. Where are you?

[Unknown Host]

It sounds like a really pivotal moment in your life. You remembered every single word. And, like.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah. And I remember him, like, stand there looking at me because, because you're. I was gassed. I was so gay. I was, you know, I was exhausted. And you get on when you have your first fight, you know, in the amateurs, you, you're, you're exhausted because you.

[Unknown Host]

Don'T know how to pace yourself.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. No, I mean, it's just, you know, it's exhausting and, and, you know, there's so much going. There's so much adrenaline pumping through you because you're also nervous and Scared. And then you get in there and, you know, it's just, you know, you're. You're probably going at a faster pace than you would, you know, as. As time goes on. I mean, as the years went on, you know, the fights got easier. You know, you. You manage those emotions better, but nothing like a. That first, that first match.

[Unknown Host]

I love it, man. Yeah. That's why I love sports and, and especially fighting sports. It builds your confidence, right?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, I was. I was boxing and wrestling way before MMA became a thing. I. I kind of missed the MMA window. Um, but I always, always loved, you know, feeling like, you know, I could defend. I can defend the takedown and, you know, also defend myself with my hands. So it's a good life skill to have.

[Unknown Host]

You know, you never know when you'll need to throw hands with someone at the bar or something.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Unknown Host]

But just that confidence, knowing you can defend yourself, you can defend your girl, your friends.

[Sean Kerrigan]

I mean, that's really the only reason I, I started boxing and wrestling is I wanted to be able to defend myself. And then I just. As the years went on, I did it more and more. And then my dad was such a proponent of it that, you know, just ended up having a career longer than I ever anticipated. But that was the. The main. The main reason I started was just to be able to defend myself.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. Did your brother get to the pro level, too?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, both my brothers. I've got a bunch of brothers and sisters, but to. My brothers fought. My younger brother, he. He started fighting when he was like, you know, he was like six. Wow.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, he was young.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, he was like, you know, he was, you know, he just scrapping it out. Just scrapping it out, you know? You know, seeing little kids fight at that. At that age is ridiculous.

[Unknown Host]

It's like.

[Sean Kerrigan]

That looks like the one.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. Super early, man.

[Sean Kerrigan]

I don't know about, but he had tons of fights, you know, had a very long amateur career. My older brother had a. Had a amateur career too, and then he turned pro, and I think he had like, maybe. My. My brother had like, maybe four pro fights. Same thing with my younger brother.

[Unknown Host]

Okay.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And then, you know, but they had my, My little brother, he started boxing at a very young age, fought, fought in all kinds of national championship tournaments and did know. Did really well for a long time, and he was even a better wrestler than he was a boxer.

[Unknown Host]

But there's no money in that, right?

[Sean Kerrigan]

No, I mean, no, but I mean, now it would be mma.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

You know, but Back then, he had the most single season wins as a freshman.

[Unknown Host]

Wow.

[Sean Kerrigan]

In his high school, he had the most single season wins as a freshman. And he could have been. He could. I mean, he could have done, really. He. He went to the state championships a couple times, and. And then he just got, you know, he got in a little bit trouble. He followed my. My other brother was in and out of jail. Both my brothers have been in and out of jail. Yeah, they both. They both kind of, you know, I think they were selling drugs at one point and, you know, getting in all kinds of trouble. And then they did some time.

[Unknown Host]

I mean, I get it, man. I was a little weed dealer in college, you know.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, you're broke.

[Unknown Host]

I mean.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah, they were. They were. You know, they got messed. They got messed up. But my. My little brother's cleaned himself up pretty well. My older brother's doing all right, and. But they were actually. Both of them. What's a funny story, they were both in Fairfax county jail for about a year and a half around that time. They were both in the. That. In that jail on different floors. When I was on the Young and the Restless.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And both of them gotten fights in the TV rec room over somebody trying to change a channel. When I was younger, the Restless, Both of them at different times. And so that's, you know, that's cool.

[Unknown Host]

That you could provide them some hope while they were in there, though. Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. And then, you know, my one brother's like, that's my brother. It's like, no, that's my brother.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, man, Sounds like you tight with your brothers. That's cool.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, we're. We're all really tight. Tight with all my brothers and. And my sisters.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. I grew up an only child, so I can't relate, but when I have kids, I want them to, you know, siblings. I think that's important.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, it was good. I mean, you know, we came from a rough and tumble family. You know, some of my. My brothers and sisters had, you know, they had. They struggled with addiction. You know, I think that that's why, you know, this movie that we did, Grace Point, has been so important to me. You know, the. The character, main character, struggles with addiction, and, you know, then he goes on this journey, and it's about a father and a son and a son trying to find his father. You know, it's like an inspirational thriller and a heart, you know, heart. A heartwarming thriller. And so I think, you know, that's why I related to the script and why I wanted to do it and, you know, sound like family.

[Unknown Host]

I love that. I think everyone can relate to addiction, whether it's themselves or their family members. Right. I saw my dad with alcoholism that wrecked him.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Sure.

[Unknown Host]

You know, I think there's. It's a problem everywhere. Addiction.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, it really is. And it's commercialized too. Like, you know, alcohol be out, you know? You know, and you know, beer commercials.

[Unknown Host]

Right.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Everything, everything.

[Unknown Host]

Drug commercials on every television network, you know.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

I mean, it's crazy. So easy to get access to this stuff too. Yeah, you really got to have the right people around you to break you out.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, I had to break my brother out of a crack house one time. Damn. Yeah, yeah, that sounds straight out of the movie the Fighter. I swear to God, I saw that movie. I was like, Jesus. And that's me and my older brother.

[Unknown Host]

So those actually exist, those crack houses?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, he was in some like, you know, some like, like just this worn out house that, you know, everybody went and did drugs at. And he called me one day and he goes, hey, man, hey man, you got it? You got to come get me, man. These bikers are coming to jump me, man. These bikers are coming to jump me. And so I was wrestling at George Mason University at the time. Time. And I, you know, I was there and I was at a. I think I was like, I forget where I was, but. But a couple of my other wrestler buddies were with me. And I said, hey, man, I gotta go. I gotta go rescue my brother, man. He's at this, this, you know, drug house. And you know, it's. I, I got, I don't know, I. I just gotta go. And they were like, hey, we're coming with you. And I was like, yeah, I don't know when I'm walking into, man, you know, so just, just letting you guys know that. And so they're like, we're coming. So my buddies Mark and Ty, you know, they're guys are wrestling on my wrestling team with me. We went and we got there and we pull up to this house and I go, all right, I don't know how this is going to go, but what I'm going to do is I'm just going to go kick that front door in and start yelling, where, you know, where's Michael Kerrigan? Where, where's Toby Kerrigan? Where's he at? And so you guys, you know, Ty, you go around the back. You can kill Kir, you come with me or you get however you want to do. So Ty went around the back, I went in the front. You know, Kira was with me. I just kicked the door in. Was like, yeah, where the is Michael Kerrigan? Where the Is Toby Kerrigan? He also goes by Toby. That's a big name. And I said, where the is he? Where is he? And they're like, you know, people were like, oh, he's over there. He's over there. I was like. I was like, hey, hey. You say, oh, hey, man. Hey, man. And I grabbed him, got him out of there, and then, you know, save them. Save him, I think. I don't know.

[Unknown Host]

And that was your older brother?

[Sean Kerrigan]

It's my older brother. Yeah. He struggled with addiction over the years.

[Unknown Host]

And so you kind of had to grow up quick. Then you had to be responsible for your older brother.

[Sean Kerrigan]

You know, he's. He's like. I like to say he's my. He's my older little brother.

[Unknown Host]

I love that.

[Sean Kerrigan]

So. But. But he's always, you know, look, we have different moms, and, you know, he had. He had a rougher upbringing than I did, really. And so, you know, same. Same thing with my other older brothers and sisters. And so I take that into account, you know. You know, it's. I guess we're. We're a victim of our environment sometimes when we're growing up.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And, you know, I. I just. Just try to be as much help to my brothers and sisters as I can, and, you know, families. Families meant so much to me over the years that I'll. I'll do anything for them.

[Unknown Host]

I love that, man.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. Family's important, for sure. I saw. So I grew up mixed. I'm half Irish, half Asian, so it's such a different lifestyle with family on the two sides, so I got to experience both, you know?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Wow, man.

[Unknown Host]

So now I kind of know what the best of each. And I'm gonna have a good family one of these days, you know?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. Are you gonna have kids?

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. And I didn't want kids when I was younger, but now I do.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. You know, I. I just. I don't know. Should I talk about. I just. I just.

[Unknown Host]

My.

[Sean Kerrigan]

My. My girl and I, we decided to have kids.

[Unknown Host]

Oh, nice.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And so. And we just found out that we're having twins.

[Unknown Host]

Dude, congrats. Yeah.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And I called him, too. I called it, by the way.

[Unknown Host]

Two for one, baby.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I told. I told her. I. I actually told her before. I was like, hey, listen, we need. We need two for one. I'm not getting any younger.

[Unknown Host]

You.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Many. Yeah. And so. So we're pretty excited that's cool, man.

[Unknown Host]

You held off.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

You know, what was the deciding moment.

[Sean Kerrigan]

To, to have them when I met her.

[Unknown Host]

Wow.

[Sean Kerrigan]

I just, I hadn't met anyone that checked all the boxes like that for me, and it made me. She's such a good mom. She has, she has two kids from previous marriage, and she's just the most wonderful person and mother that you could ask for. And, and I just met her at the right time, and we've known each other for a long time, but we never really started dating until back in May.

[Unknown Host]

Is she an actress as well?

[Sean Kerrigan]

No, no, she, she, she's a government worker. She works at. She runs the water department over in the city of Oxnard.

[Unknown Host]

Total opposite personality, it sounds like.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, yeah, it's. She. I, like, I always tease her. I'm like, you like the movie Chinatown? You run the water.

[Unknown Host]

Sometimes you need that balance, man. The opposites attract.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Like they say, it's, it's cool. It's. She's. But she's amazing, and she's super supportive with my, my career, and so I'm just lucky.

[Unknown Host]

I love that, man. I want to hear about your transition to acting, because that's not an easy, easy space to penetrate, right? Getting acting gigs.

[Sean Kerrigan]

No. You know, man, when I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be an actor. And, you know, I, I, One of my favorite movies is Star wars, you know, classic. Yeah. And, you know, then Return of the Jedi came out and. Or Star Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. And, like, you know, when I was a kid, I'd see these movies and I, like, come home and I just, like, act them out to my mom. And then, you know, Luke Skywalker did this, and then Han Solo did this. And my poor mom, you know, she's like, you know, been working all day. She's, like, sitting there trying to, like, listen to me describe all these different scenes of these movies. And I think she knew at that point that I wanted to be an actor. But, you know, when I was in high school, I had, you know, especially after, you know, my, Especially my senior year, it was like, you know, going into my senior year, I had, I had these athletic goals that I wanted to try to hit. I wanted to, I wanted to go to, you know, a Division one program, wrestling division, you know, Division one, Try to be an All American. And then I also wanted to have, have an amateur career, more of an amateur career, and then turn pro and fight professionally for a couple years. I only wanted to have, like, My goal was to have, like, five pro Fights, I ended up having eight. And so I just, I wanted to, but I wanted to, you know, do those things. And then I, I used to tell people, my senior, I was in drama, my, my senior year, I would tell, I used to tell people, I'd be like, I'm going to go to, I'm going to go to college. I'm going to try to be an All American in wrestling. I'm going to, I'm going to have a few, I'm going to have a brief pro career in boxing, and then I'm going to become an actor.

[Unknown Host]

Wow.

[Sean Kerrigan]

And so you called it. So. So, like, people like, you know, they'd be like, you're going to do what? You're going to do what? Oh, and then you're going to do what? Yeah, okay, pal. You know, that's not the path that everybody takes. Yeah, but I was just, I had it, I had it in my mind. And so when I, when I was boxing, I was by, you know, I turned pro in 98, and I was, you know, fought professionally until April 2000. And after that fight, I, I got cast in a UPN pilot that was shooting in Baltimore, and I got my SAG card from it. And so once I got my SAG card, I was like, all right, well, I'm gonna go to, I'm gonna go to New York. I'm gonna go to la. I'm gonna give up, Give up my, my boxing career. Wow. It's time. It's time, you know? And my dad, my, he was pissed, right? Oh, he was so mad. He said, hey, man, you're gonna be, you're gonna be driving. You're gonna be driving cabs the rest of your life. I go, hey, Pop, I'll show you that one of these days you're gonna see me on the big screen. He's like, hey. He's like, I'll be dead and gone before that ever happens. And then I went off, I went off to New York. I was having no luck up in New York. It's like bouncing at the China Club in New York for, like, six months, having no luck. And then, and then I ran into Michael Rappaport. And he goes, he goes, hey, I, I, he was at the club. And I go, hey, man, when you made it in, in film or when you made it in acting, did you, did you make it here in New York or did you make it in la? He goes, what kind of acting you want to do? You want to do TV and film? And I go, yeah. He goes, then you got to go to la, man. And so I. Next thing you know, I was. I was in my truck driving out to LA, and I've been here for 24 years. Wow.

[Unknown Host]

Shout out to Michael.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Does he know that story, by the way?

[Sean Kerrigan]

No. I mean, I've never. I've never ran it.

[Unknown Host]

Let him know he's coming on the podcast.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Is that right?

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, I'll tell him about it.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. That's cool, man. And so, yeah, I love that guy. I love.

[Unknown Host]

He's hilarious.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. And. And he's a great actor. And. And he said that to me right there. And I was. I was bouncing at the China Club, and I was like. You know, and he. And because I. And he was cool, too, because as he was walking, I was like, hey, man, you mind if I asked you something? You know, And. And he was. He was very forthcoming, man. He was a good dude. And. But anyway, so fast forward. Years later, I'm sitting with my dad. We're at. We're at a D.C. film festival. We're about to watch this movie I did on the big screen. And he and my old man sitting right next to me, and I go, hey, hey, Pop. Remember how you said that you'd be dead and gone before you saw me on the big screen? Guess what? You're about to watch me on the big screen. He's like, you son of a. You remember everything, God damn it. And so it's good.

[Unknown Host]

Sometimes your biggest haters are your biggest motor.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah. He became one of my biggest fans, though.

[Unknown Host]

He was.

[Sean Kerrigan]

He was. He was. Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Shout out to my mother. You know, Skeptical at first. You know, coming from China, academics is everything. Education, getting good grades. That's how she escaped poverty. So.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Right.

[Unknown Host]

Why not apply it to me? But different path, you know?

[Sean Kerrigan]

Sure.

[Unknown Host]

So we used to butt heads all the time about it, but now she watches every single episode. She's, like my biggest fan.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Of course. Yeah. It's funny how that works. My dad, at the end of. You know, when in his older years he would hang out, he. He would hang out at, like, the Moose Lodge and the American Legion, and he'd be like, hanging out with all these. You know, like, be hanging out with different women and stuff. And he. And all of a sudden, I get a call and he. And I go, hey, what's up? He go, hey, tell this girl that you play Stitch on the Young and the Restless. The girl go, your dad says, you Stitch. I don't believe. And I'll be like, oh, yeah, hey, yeah, yeah. And she's like, prove it. And I go, all right, well, I was with Victoria. I left Victoria. I got with her stepmom, Ashley, and then, you know, I left Ashley, and then I got with Ashley's daughter, Abby. And then I was in a love triangle between Ashley and Abby, and she was like, oh, my God, it is Stitch. And then my dad grabbed the full maze, like. All right. Hey, thanks, man. Appreciate it.

[Unknown Host]

Used it to get girls. This is before FaceTime, you know.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, man.

[Unknown Host]

Times have changed. That's funny, man.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Well, dude, this has been really fun. What are you working on next? Where can people keep up with you?

[Sean Kerrigan]

I'm on Instagram. Follow me on the real Sean Kerrigan. And, you know, do us a favor. Go out and buy or rent Grace Point.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, we'll link it below.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Yeah, it's on Amazon and Apple. And, you know, we worked really hard on the movie, and it's got a great twist at the end, and people got a lot of great feedback from it.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. Guys, after you're done watching Beast Games, check out Grace Point. It's on the same platform.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Right on, man.

[Unknown Host]

Let's do it. All right, guys, see you next time.

[Sean Kerrigan]

Thanks.