Since debuting on NXT, Johnny Gargano has seen his character change a few times. From his heel role in DIY to the ultimate babyface with the Undisputed Era. Now, as leader of The Way, he is seeing his character develop in a way nobody would have predicted.
Playing the role of your stereotypical sitcom dad, alongside (real-life) wife Candice LeRae and their ‘children’ Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell. The heel stable has really taken on a life of its own since forming, changing drastically from the original concept.
Talking to Ryan Satin’s on his Out of Character podcast, Gargano discussed the group’s evolution.
“When I pitched this whole faction idea, trust me, the whole sitcom family thing was not something I pitched,” Johnny explained. “It came when we filmed the Christmas special. Everyone was just kinda interacting with one another. We would joke around a lot and call Austin and Indi our kids because they kinda looked like big versions of ourselves that we made in a lab. So we would call them our kids, and it just kinda became something that kinda took off on-screen, and that just became our dynamic.”
According to Johnny Gargano, the group have really embraced the sitcom theme now, and are really pushing it to see how far they can go. Ever the professional, Gargano was eager to talk about the way the faction has allowed his ‘children’ Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell to grow and develop their skills.
For Johnny Gargano, the future is looking bright indeed, as he prepares for a chance to win his second NXT championship. Taking on Karrion Kross, Kyle O’Reilly, Pete Dunne and Adam Cole in a Fatal-5-Way at the upcoming In Your House PPV.
