Willow Nightingale is an inspiration to different generations and age demographics all over the world.
All Elite Wrestling‘s Willow Nightingale recently sat down with WrestleZone’s Managing Editor Bill Pritchard. When asked if she thinks she’s been able to inspire different generations and age demographics, Nightingale says she surely hopes so.
“I sure hope so,” Willow Nightingale said. “I think I may have mentioned this in those interviews in the past. But when I first started wrestling, I felt like all of these things about myself, my size, my race, even my disposition, because I’m naturally a very nice person.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a pushover, but I do think a lot of people view my kindness as naivete and are willing to see how much they can push me around. Or take advantage of me before I say anything or push back. So I think all of these things when I first started wrestling for the first few years, I thought would be all the reasons where I wasn’t where I am today.
Willow Nightingale loves to resonate with fans of all ages
“And interestingly enough, I feel like all of those reasons are exactly the things that people resonate with me and have pushed me to excel the way I have. And so, being in the position I am right now. Like I talked to people who will tell me like, ‘my grandmother loves you. Like she used to love wrestling, and she really resonates with you. I love you,’ like just somebody who’s my age.
Willow says she loves meeting fans of all ages, from grandmothers to grade school-aged kids. She also hopes that people are inspired by her to do whatever they want, whether it’s being a pro wrestler or otherwise.
“I hope that people coming up wanting to be a wrestler or whatever else because, at the end of the day, I don’t want to just inspire people to become a wrestler or an athlete. I want them to believe that whatever they want to do, they can excel through the hard work and authenticity of being themselves. No matter what it is that they do.”
The biggest compliment
When it was mentioned that there is a bond that different types of wrestling fans can come together because they like her, Nightingale said that’s the biggest compliment she could receive.
“Yeah, to me, that’s like the biggest compliment,” Willow Nightingale admitted. “If you tell me that your non-wrestling fan was drawn to me in any way, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m doing my job and then some.’ So from the first time I heard that I was like, that’s the biggest compliment, and I don’t think my mind has changed at all. And that is I think something people strive to do.
“I’m very fortunate that it comes effortlessly again, just by being myself. And I think now, with a bigger spotlight, sometimes that can feel like a burden or a curse, the whole being myself thing and not kind of fitting in or like smoothing out whatever weird edges I have. But I have to constantly remind myself to not beat myself up for it. But to be grateful again because it got me this far, and I wouldn’t be happy if I was trying to be somebody else. So I’m thankful.”
You can check out our complete interview with Willow Nightingale in the embedded video below.
READ MORE: Willow Nightingale Wants To Knock Every Opportunity Out Of The Park
What do you make of Willow Nightingale’s comments? Do you connect with Nightingale on an inspirational level? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
If you use any of these quotes, please credit WrestleZone with a link to this article for the transcription.
