The Man Behind the Legend
The director of Netflix’s new documentary, Hulk Hogan: Real American, has shared insights into his conversations with the late, controversial WWE icon. Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, passed away at the age of 71 in July 2025, leaving behind a legacy that is both celebrated and scrutinized.
Hogan was one of the most recognizable names in wrestling, but he was also a divisive figure who faced significant backlash during his career. His final TV appearance on Monday Night Raw in January 2025 ended with him being booed, an event that marked the end of his public presence on television.
A Deep Dive into the Life of Hulk Hogan
Directed by Bryan Storkel, Hulk Hogan: Real American aims to uncover the real man behind the legend. The documentary features interviews with Hogan’s family, friends, and rivals, as well as personal conversations with Hogan himself.
Storkel shared that their initial meetings before filming were crucial. “We spent two days together before we started filming, and it was clear that he wanted to actually go deep on this,” he said. During the interviews, Hogan showed a level of vulnerability that was rare for him. “He was open to discussing pretty much anything,” Storkel added.
Controversies and Reflections
One of the most significant moments discussed in the documentary was Hogan’s final TV appearance, where he was booed. At the time, Hogan attributed the reaction to his support of Donald Trump, while critics pointed to a 2015 racism scandal involving a leaked recording where he used racist language.
In the 2015 incident, Hogan was heard ranting about his daughter dating a Black man and using racist slurs. This led to WWE cutting ties with him, removing him from all areas of their website and streaming platform.
It wasn’t until 2018 that Hogan began making appearances again after apologizing for the remarks. In 2024, he described the scandal as a “speed bump,” although fans and fellow wrestlers called for stronger condemnation of his comments.
Storkel noted that Hogan didn’t fully understand the extent of the backlash. “I think there are multiple reasons, and he was more into the political side in the last years. But I think he also understood there were other reasons,” he said.
Deflection and Emotional Impact
When asked about his feelings on being booed, Hogan deflected. “I asked him, ‘Certainly in real life, when you’re being booed, not for your character, but because of other things, that has to hurt, right?’ And that’s one where he kind of deflected a bit, and was like, ‘No, of course, it didn’t hurt,’ but you talk to the people around him, and I think it did.”
Despite the controversy, Storkel found Hogan to be at peace with his life. “He was doing as much as he could in his everyday life to just be a good person and meet fans,” he said. “Like he says, Terry Bollea was just a human, but the legend of Hulk Hogan, he was trying to live up to this character that did something amazing for people, that helped people.”
Politics and Final Moments
Hogan was a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, even helping to secure an interview with the former president for the documentary. Storkel recalled the surreal moment when he was outside the White House, on the phone with Hogan. “What world am I living in right now?” he thought.
Hogan’s health deteriorated in May 2025, and Storkel revealed they remained in touch. After his first surgery, Hogan texted him saying, “I can feel my fingertips for the first time in 20 years.” Despite numerous surgeries over the years, Hogan never complained about his pain.
Reflections on the Final Interviews
Storkel reflected on the timing of the interviews, which turned out to be Hogan’s last. “After he passed, everything felt like it had so much more weight to it. But when I watched them again later, he would say little things like, ‘I can feel myself winding down. I just don’t know when the winding is going to stop.’”
Some of Hogan’s comments seemed haunting given how soon after the interviews he died. “Another thing he said, it was towards the end of one of the interviews. He’s like, ‘Man, I’m just glad we’re doing this now. If we’re doing this another year or two from now, I don’t know if we’d be getting it.’”
Storkel added, “If we had waited any longer, we wouldn’t have captured his story in this way, on camera.”
Conclusion
Hulk Hogan: Real American launches on April 22 on Netflix. The documentary offers a unique insight into the life of one of wrestling’s most iconic figures, capturing his journey through personal reflections and candid conversations.
