SHARE

Westchester Wrestler Turned Actor Stars In 'Jersey Shore' Spoof

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – The “Situation just got deadly" for Giovanni Roselli’s character in a horror movie spoofing “Jersey Shore,” but the White Plains actor, trainer and professional wrestler hopes it will open doors for his career.

Giovanni Roselli shoots a scene.

Giovanni Roselli shoots a scene.

Photo Credit: Contributed
"Jersey Shore Massacre" debuts Tuesday, Aug. 19, in New York City.

"Jersey Shore Massacre" debuts Tuesday, Aug. 19, in New York City.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Attack Entertainment
Giovanni Roselli grew up in West Harrison.

Giovanni Roselli grew up in West Harrison.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Attack Entertainment
Giovanni Roselli (right) poses with WWE wrestler "R-Truth" (left) and "The Wrestler" star Mickey Rourke (second from left).

Giovanni Roselli (right) poses with WWE wrestler "R-Truth" (left) and "The Wrestler" star Mickey Rourke (second from left).

Photo Credit: Contributed
Giovanni Roselli (center) on the set of "The Wrestler" with Mickey Rourke (left) and "R-Truth" (right).

Giovanni Roselli (center) on the set of "The Wrestler" with Mickey Rourke (left) and "R-Truth" (right).

Photo Credit: Contributed
Giovanni Roselli films a scene.

Giovanni Roselli films a scene.

Photo Credit: Contributed
Giovanni Roselli (right), known to wrestling fans as "Romeo Roselli," battles "R-Truth" in the ring.

Giovanni Roselli (right), known to wrestling fans as "Romeo Roselli," battles "R-Truth" in the ring.

Photo Credit: Contributed
Giovanni Roselli slaps WWE legend "Rowdy Roddy Pipper."

Giovanni Roselli slaps WWE legend "Rowdy Roddy Pipper."

Photo Credit: Contributed

In his first lead role, West Harrison native Roselli plays Tony in “Jersey Shore Massacre.” Based on Mike “The Situation” from the reality show “Jersey Shore,” Tony leads a group of five fist pumping Jersey Shore studs who get invited to spend the weekend with some guidettes.

After a housing mix up at the shore, they end up at a campy hideaway, where they all become tanned targets for a mentally deranged killer.

“Let’s face it, I have kind of a look where playing a guido wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for me,” he said.

Roselli is accustomed to using his look to portray arrogant villains in the world of professional wrestling. He made it to the WWE main roster at the age of 23 as “Romeo Roselli." He was half of the tag team, “The Heart Throbs,” and appeared on television from 2005 to 2006.

“I got my own trading card, I got my own action figure,” he said like a true life-long wrestling fan. “I was that guy that, when I was 8 years old, I was collecting those trading cards. I was collecting those action figures. And now I’m actually on one of them and it’s still crazy to think about that.”

He told Daily Voice that he dreamed of becoming one of the “real life super heroes” he watched on television growing up. One of those was Hulk Hogan, who he met the night he debuted on WWE's flagship show, Raw, in 2005.

“Talk about full circle,” he said.

After WWE, Roselli has continued wrestling part-time while training at Equinox in Scarsdale and Greenwich, and pursuing acting. He has landed small roles in movies ranging from “Baby Mama” and “College Road Trip,” to an off-Broadway production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” to “The Wrestler.”

“I had a great time and Mickey Rourke was very, very respectful of the wrestling industry,” he said of his time filming “The Wrestler.”

"Jersey Shore Massacre" premieres Tuesday, Aug. 19, in New York City and exclusively on DirecTV, and will be shown Aug. 22 at the Kew Gardens Cinema in Queens. It will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, iTunes, Time Warner, Comcast and all other Video On Demand platforms on Tuesday, Aug. 26.     

Read our interview with Roselli's co-star Danielle Dallacco

Follow Roselli's career on his website and Facebook

to follow Daily Voice Yorktown and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE