All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Stars At San Diego Comic Con 2024.
AEW Willow Nightingale and Orange Cassidy spoke with South OC Beaches at Comic Con.
All Elite Wrestling had a major presence at the San Diego Comic Con this year.
AEW is celebrating the recent milestone of their five year anniversary by showcasing their talent at Comic Con 2024.
San Diego Comic Con 2024 hosted AEW Panels and AEW Autograph Signings.
All Elite Wrestling announced the expansion of AEW into the world of comic books by partnering with DC Comics.
Next AEW showcased new action figures by Jazwares.
One of the most talked about offsite events at Comic Con was AEW teaming up with Adult Swim.
I had the opportunity to sit down and converse with two of All Elite Wrestling’s biggest fan favorites Willow Nightingale and Orange Cassidy at the Hilton Bayfront at Comic Con 2024.
During the interview we discussed their recent success as a tag team and the best part’s of working in AEW.
Since we were at Comic Con, it was only fitting to focus on the geekier sides of their personalities as well.
We talked about what really matters when you are at Comic Con.
“Who’s the best Batman?” “What Is Your Favorite Movie,” “Why is Buffy the undisputed queen of Vampire Slayage?”
Willow’s infectious giggles and the cool demeanor of Orange Cassidy made this a most enjoyable interview.
I found them just as fun and friendly to be around as they are on screen.
I hope you enjoy reading this entertaining interview.
For Reference:
DC: David Crane
WN: Willow Nightingale
OC: Orange Cassidy
DC: Yesterday, you both were victorious in winning The Battle For the Booty Championship tag team tournament presented by Adult Swim. Tell me, what was that experience like working in front of the Adult Swim audience here at Comic Con?
WN: Weird! (laughs) It was definitely not something I’d imagine happening at the start of the year. When you make goals for yourself and go “all right what do I want my 2024 to look like?” This wasn’t something I could have predicted! But I was very happy I was able to have this experience, it was very cool!
OC:It is surreal to do, especially with Adult Swim. With how long Adult Swim has been around and having grown up with it, and then you get to wrestle these unique characters and win a championship with one of your good friends. Now we get to share a championship.
WN: Yeah! But there’s only one championship belt! (laughing)
OC: Yeah, one championship belt for both of us, and we have to share it, and I feel like that’s the ultimate test of friendship. Like, who gets to hold it?
WN: Is it going to be like the class guinea pig? When you’re like this is your week, this is my week?
OC: Yeah, she’s being very nice and she’s such a good friend that she’s letting me carry it in my backpack. So I feel like my old self. Because she has the CMLL World Women’s Championship. You’re just a championship magnet!
WN: Oh yeah!
OC: You just get belts! That’s what you do, that’s what Willow does!
WN: (Using a fun deeper serious voice) Belt collector Willow! (laughs)
DC: No surprise then, that you won the titles last night!
WN: Yeah, I manifested this for us!
OC: Yeah I will go on record, this is on the record, and say Willow did all the work last night!
WN: NO!! (laughs)
DC: (laughs) Ok, so switching gears here to something a bit more serious. Comic Con International is seen as the Super Bowl of Pop Culture. All Elite Wrestling has a huge annual event that has rapidly become the Super Bowl of pro wrestling. Of course I’m referring to the All In Pay Per View taking place in Wembley Stadium on August 25th. Last year Orange you had the opportunity to compete in a huge multiple person Stadium Stampede match against the Blackpool Combat Club. To either one of you, when you think about All In who would be your ultimate dream opponent at either this year’s event or perhaps a future year’s All In?
OC: Well um, I will wrestle anyone along as it’s not in another Stadium Stampede match! I don’t want to get stabbed in the head with a fork again! That just seems like something I don’t want to relive, especially in front of all those people. So as long as it’s not that, I’ll wrestle anyone. I don’t care!
WN: I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder because last year, I sat alone on my couch and watched it. I was rooting for the team, and I was very happy to see it all unfold, but I feel like this year I have to go! So in a sense, yes, I would wrestle anybody there. However, I am feeling much more violent than Orange, and very rageful about someone who used to be Orange’s friend as well as mine Kris Statlander. And also If I get my hands on and be violent to Stokely Hathaway as well, that would be the dream!
OC: Yeah, I’d watch that.
DC: I would as well, I know fans like myself are definitely looking forward to seeing that!
DC: In my opinion along with many other pro wrestling fans, All Elite Wrestling has made pro wrestling fun again! And you both are two of the biggest reasons why that is. And since we’re at Comic Con, I wanted to ask you some fun and geeky questions so fans can learn a bit more about you. With that in mind, let’s start with if you could have any road trip companion of your choice outside of the AEW roster, who would it be? It could be anyone at all, someone you know, or don’t know. Be as creative as you like!
WN: Well I have to say my non pop culture answer, is my little sister, she’s my best friend and I would love to spend as much time with her as possible! BUT since we are at Comic Con, and as I stare into the distance through the window I see a GIANT Spongebob Squarepants with a mischievous smirk on his face, I wonder would Spongebob actually be that much fun for a long car ride, or would he be a little annoying? I do need to think about this.
OC: Yeah, I think Dua Lipa. (Willow Laughs) Because with a really long road trip we’d probably get to know each other a little bit better, and maybe exchange numbers or something, and figure it out go from there.
DC: And ya know she drives really well in Argylle so…..
OC: She did! She really did, and then ya know probably the entire cast of the Fast and the Furious movies. Because we would go Fast…and FURIOUS!
DC: And to space probably too right?
OC: Probably? No, we’re going to space!
WN: Maybe the girls from Broad City? Illana and Abby, I’d want to go on a road trip with them!
OC: Love that show.
WN: My little sister’s watching it right now and I’m like oh yeah, this is a very pivotal moment of my life watching this show.
DC: The San Diego Comic Con is the ultimate destination vacation spot for so many, but what is your ultimate destination vacation spot?
WN: I have not gone on vacation for a very long time, I’ve gone to Japan and Mexico and the Jericho Cruise and those have been all of the vacations I’ve taken in the past few years. And they’ve all been for work, and that’s not a complaint, I am fortunate to do so. But the beach would be nice!
OC: Talking about vacations, especially for those of us who came up through the independents, your vacation time was usually time away from whatever job you were doing during the week. It usually involved going to another place so you could wrestle.
WN: Yeah!
OC: It was always during that time that my vacation was professional wrestling, by going to Japan and doing other things. So yeah I don’t really know, my vacation now, would probably be my bed. Close those room darkening blackout shades, and then just sleep!
DC: Ok let’s get into some very geeky questions. Who’s your favorite Batman?
OC: I am going to say something that is going to be ….wild! I think objectively the best Batman is probably Christian Bale, just representation wise. But I think Bale is lucky because those movies are awesome! I am going to say something that is going to be ….wild! I have to say I don’t think Ben Affleck was a bad Batman! I thought he did pretty good,
DC: I totally agree.
OC: Ya know what I mean? He did the best he could do. But also to me Bruce Wayne should be not quite a piece of garbage, but a guy you don’t want to hang out with. Because he has some seriously dark mental issues, ya know what I mean? And when you see Ben Affleck portraying that role he comes off as crass, and that makes him a very good Bruce Wayne. But Christian Bale is ultimately the best Batman.
WN: I have to agree that in my mind Christian Bale is the most quintessential Batman as well, but I am also a very campy person. So I’m also like Micheal Keaton. Like that era is fun and visually the most exciting for me!
OC: It was pretty sweet then when Micheal Keaton came back and did it again in The Flash. It was cool because you don’t get that very often where a person is playing a role from the 80’s and then you get to see how they would portray that same role now in a different film. Like you can’t get Micheal Jordan to come play basketball now, I know that’s a very wild analogy (Willow laughs) … but it’s like you have Micheal Keaton as Batman in this world now and how does he fit? And of course, he crushed it! Because Micheal Keaton’s as good now as he ever was.
DC: He doesn’t skip a beat! Ok, now whom is your favorite vampire slayer? You got Van Helsing, you got Blade…
OC: Buffy!
WN: (laughing) I was gonna say Buffy! I mean my name’s Willow..
OC: Buffy! Buffy! Buffy hands down!
WN: Girl Power! Woo! Woo!
DC: I’ll just mention Buffy The Vampire Slayer is my all time favorite tv show, so I couldn’t agree more.
OC: I’m going to say Buffy, but I’m also going to say George Clooney in From Dusk Till Dawn.
WN: I have to rewatch Buffy now!
DC: I was also going to mention Abraham Lincoln was also in play but Buffy hands down I agree!
OC: Buffy is number one! You didn’t even need to finish that list.
WN: Unanimous decision!
DC: Next up, what is your favorite movie?
WN: The Rocky Horror Picture Show! Well, until I saw Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. And that really did move me. So those are both two of my favorites, for different reasons.
OC: Well everybody knows I love the movie Fast Five. But Hot Rod is the best movie of all time! No one should argue with me on that point! (Willow and I laugh)
DC: I should mention Willow, there’s always a screening on Saturday night at midnight of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Comic Con. If you’re still in town for that.
WN: Ohhhh! I will be at Collision in Arlington on Saturday, but if I was here I would love to see that!
DC: Oh of course! Well, maybe you can watch it in spirit.
WN: I love shadowcast!
DC: Who is your favorite animated character?
WN: Oooooh, this isn’t because Spongebob is staring at me through the window, but Spongebob truly is my favorite animated character! To the point that I do think I’ll get a doodle bob tattoo. I love Spongebob, especially the original few seasons, so yeah all time best cartoon!
OC: I don’t really know who my favorite animated character is so I’ll just say uh Tugboat Mickey.
WN: You mean Steamboat Willie! (laughs)
OC: Yeah, yeah I mean Steamboat Willie. Wait what did I say, Tugboat Mickey? (laughs) Wait, actually it’s Jessica Rabbit.
WN: Sure yeah, arooga! (laughs)
OC: Yes final answer, Jessica Rabbit is my favorite animated character.
DC: What is your favorite comfort food?
OC: If you know me, you know I love a good pot pie! Chicken pot pie is where it’s at.
WN: I guess I didn’t know you, now I know. Now that we’re tag champs together.
OC: Now you know, you know me you know Orange Cassidy loves a good chicken pot pie!
WN: As a Long Island girl, nothing feels like home more than a good New York bagel.
OC: So the New York ones, do they broil them? Do they bake and then they broil them, is that what it is?
WN: I don’t know what the technique is, I just appreciate it, for what it is.
OC: That’s what it is, they’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. That is the best bagel that exists!
WN: It’s so good!
OC: Let’s get into bagel talk.
DC: What do you put on your bagel?
WN: It depends, but usually plain cream cheese. You don’t have to over complicate it.
OC: Yeah. See, you and I are meant to be friends. We’re both the same.
DC: Next question, other than the brilliant AEW: Fight Forever video game, what is your favorite video game?
WN: Hmmm Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland. No, maybe not, American Wasteland feels like the one I’ve played the most, but I’m not sure it’s my favorite. I think I like the soundtrack on there the most, yeah I’ll just go with that.
OC: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for the Switch.
WN: Actually, Animal Crossing: New Horizons might be my favorite. That did get me through COVID, that got me through 2020.
DC: Actually, I have to say that I was under lockdown for a year and a half during COVID. I got back into Ring of Honor at that time, and of course watched All Elite Wrestling as well. And both shows really helped get me through that difficult time. So thank you both for that.
WN: Well thank you for tuning in!
OC: We love to hear it, because it makes what we do actually important.
DC: As a fan, I don’t think I’m alone on that, where you’re locked down for a year or two, and wrestling was there every week keeping our minds off of these existential problems.
WN: It was weird with no fans in the crowd
OC:But we knew everyone was watching at home and that made it all worth it.
DC: Wrapping up, I just wanted to ask, what is the best part of working for All Elite Wrestling?
WN: Oh man, there’s a lot!
OC: I feel like the best part of working for AEW is that I can be me. I can take the risks, I can do the things I want to do, and AEW let’s you do that. There isn’t much control over how you do something, they let their performers perform and let us create. I mean I am regulated,
WN: There’s a boundary! (laughs)
OC: But I appreciate that because I don’t think creativity truly excels unless there are some constrictions and I think AEW is the perfect mix of that. Also I’m just surrounded by great people who have the same mindset, like my good friend Willow over here. And it really does feel like a team, like we’re in this thing together, trying to help each other up and it’s not like a cutthroat dog eat dog type of place to work. But Willow could have a totally different perspective on this.
WN: Umm actually no, that is the perfect answer! That is a great summation of why I love our company so much. I was going to say the great people, but I do feel that in professional wrestling no matter where you go, you will find your people being yourself. But also I am the current CMLL Women’s champion, and have very much taken advantage of the fact that we can wrestle internationally and work other places. Working with our company’s partners and working in front of different crowds and fans and working with different wrestlers. Learning more about wrestling, and understanding how different cultures approach it and how different wrestlers approach wrestling. And that is aside from your very eloquent and lovely answer OC, that is probably my favorite part of working in AEW.
OC: I thought we both did a really good job, together, with that answer.
WN: Beautiful! Teamwork! You know what they say about it?
OC: That’s why we’re the Booty Champions.
WN: (laughing) that’s not what i was going to say, but yes teamwork is what makes us the Booty Champions!
DC: Well with that, I wanted to say thank you both for participating in this interview today. I look forward to watching both of you more in AEW and specifically at All In on August 25th. Good luck at Wembley!
WN: This was fun! Thank you.
OC: Thank you.
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is a red-hot professional wrestling promotion featuring a world-class roster that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry.
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