The WWE Superstar Who Made A Cameo In John Wick (And Actually Survived The Movie)
In the world of "John Wick," coming face to face with the Baba Yaga might as well be an appointment to sign your own death certificate. John Wick has killed an alarming number of people, so it's almost more shocking when he doesn't kill someone. In the film that kicked off the franchise, Wick walks up to the VIP entrance of The Red Circle club owned by Russian crime lord Viggo Tarasov and intimidates the bouncer, Francis, outside. Despite his hulking frame, Wick puts his gun to Francis' head and addresses him by name. He compliments him on his weight loss, which Francis clarifies is a loss of 60 kilograms. While this might appear to be some gentle conversation to break the tension before a bloodbath, it's actually an exchange of information.
Francis' reference to 60 kilograms is actually a code for how many guards are in the club, providing Wick with valuable intel to help him enact his revenge plot. Getting this information means that he doesn't have to actually kill Francis, so Wick recommends that he "take the night off." Francis takes off his earpiece and faces Wick, thanking him for his virtuous decision, and getting the hell out of his way.
He's only on screen for this one scene, but Francis' lack of death is vital to showcasing John Wick's moral compass. It's also a delightful moment for anyone who was watching wrestling in the 1990s, as Francis is played by Big Daddy Cool himself, Kevin Nash.
A pretty prolific performer
At 6'10", Kevin Nash is one of those people who looks like they were built in a laboratory to be a professional wrestler. Given his massive height and build, he is also a go-to guy for Hollywood directors to call upon when you need an intimidating body. Nash actually made his film debut in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze," where he played the massive villain, Super Shredder. Even standing side-by-side with actors in bloated Ninja Turtle suits, Nash's Super Shredder still looked absolutely goliath.
However, Nash is so much more than just a towering stack of steak. He's also a genuinely talented performer. Many might recognize the six-time World Heavyweight Champion and twelve-time Tag Team Champion from his turn as The Russian in the 2004 film adaptation, "The Punisher," where he was accidentally stabbed for real by Thomas Jane, but he acted through it because he's an absolute unit. But it was a few years later that he'd originate the role of Tarzan/Ernest in the "Magic Mike" series, which likely led to his casting in "John Wick."
Then again, Nash being a Hollywood guy should come as no surprise. There were a few years when his Big Daddy Cool character took a back seat to my personal favorite version of him as a wrestler, Big Sexy, a name that he gave himself inspired by Paul Newman being called "the sexiest man alive." As I said, the dude was born to play tough guys.
Perhaps if we're lucky, we might get another glimpse of Francis in any number of the "John Wick" prequels or spinoffs.