Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman established an alliance at the end of 2020 and the character of The Tribal Chief took his first steps on the main roster. Now, four years later, it can be said that Reigns has become the biggest attraction that WWE has.

But how did the gimmick idea of the ‘Tribal Chief’ come into the minds of Reigns and the WWE? Well, we have the answer. And it was a movie that inspired the gimmick. But which one?

Paul Heyman reveals the inspiration behind The Tribal Chief

Speaking at the BSM Summit, Paul Heyman, the 2024 Hall of Famer and legendary manager, provided insight into Reigns’ character and its source of origin. He explained that the Tribal Chief’s gimmick is actually inspired by a role played by Marlon Brando in the movie Apocalypse Now. In addition, he also exposed several details in which the Tribal Chief resembles Colonel Walter, the character played by Brando. He said, “The character of Roman Reigns as the Tribal Chief, which, by way of an example, is inspired by Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now.”

He then explained the process of how he got the Universal champion to understand the character and get into the role. Heyman said, “When we first started talking about the presentation of The Tribal Chief, I had Roman Reigns watch Apocalypse Now multiple times. Because, to me, that was the heart and soul of the character of the Tribal Chief. A warrior so great that he conquered his own island. We call it ‘The Island of Relevancy’. Someone who now all the natives, which is the WWE Universe, all the fans, and all the performers on the roster, look to for guidance because he is the top star.”

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But what else makes the characters so similar? Well, there seem to be a lot of similarities between the two.

The parallels between the two

If you haven’t watched the Apocalypse Now, fret not. The film is set during the Vietnam War, Captain Willard is given a secret mission to invade neighboring Laos and kill a crazed American colonel, who leads his army deep into the jungle.

The major point worth exploring is detailing the double duality of the characters of Marlon and Reigns, in which they are presented as villains but at the same time have traces of being good people. The gimmick of the Tribal Chief can be linked to the ‘Pseudo-God’ played by Brando.

The burden of responsibility

In the movie, the Colonel (played by Brando) is looked up by everyone around him for seeking guidance, food, shelter, and, most of all, wisdom. This burden of responsibility soon starts taking a toll on him as he finds himself accountable for the lives of his followers. This slowly takes over his mentality towards them as he starts resenting his followers. So much so that in his diary he wrote about killing them all.

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This is very similar to the character of Roman Reigns. He wants people to acknowledge him, but once they do, he starts feeling responsible for them. This leads toward his villainy as he finds himself burned for taking care of his Bloodline.

The desire to strike fear

Another thing similar between the two characters is that Kurtz employed barbaric methods not only to defeat his enemy but also to create fear inside them. And we are all aware of how ruthless the Bloodline and Reigns can be once they unleash on a poor superstar they set their sights on.

The descent to the dark side

And like Kurtz, Reigns too was a good man. While Brando was patriotic, Reigns was the hero of the WWE. The savior of all weak. A babyface, before he became a cold and maniacal beast, just like his movie counterpart.

The attire of a leader

Kurtz has a bald head covered in the markings of several tribes. His head being shaved represents his disengagement from traditional military customs. Roman Reigns also embraces a unique style. His tattooed arm, tribal-inspired chest plate, and dominating presentation of self all serve to highlight his position as the Head of the Table.

The struggle within

Kurtz constantly mirrored his internal struggle. He often grappled with the brutality of war and the hypocrisy of civilization. But he has to fight the war, despite his doubts. Reigns’ gimmick of the Tribal Chief too explores a similar inner conflict. His desire for power has clashed with his familial bonds. As a result, Jey Uso left the Bloodline.

But in the end, who’s to complain if you become the WWE Universal Championship for over 1290 days and rule the WWE. All in all, the character of Tribal Chief has been the most popular in WWE in recent years and has become one of the most beloved by fans, establishing Roman Reigns as the definitive face of the company.

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