Tugg Speedman

Grew Up… with dreams of becoming a Hollywood actor. He never knew that making this dream a reality would involve selling out every last drop of human decency within him. Then again, he might have still done it anyway.

Living… on his way to being a “has-been.” Tugg was once a high-flying action star, but after a handful of poor career choices, his career has been on a sharp downswing. His biggest misstep was his portrayal of a mentally challenged man in the film Simple Jack – a major mistake, in the words of fellow actor Kirk Lazarus, because the never-subtle Tugg “went full-retard.”

Profession… movie star. At least, he was. Tugg Speedman was often compared to a young Sylvester Stallone, but those days have come and gone. After many box-office flops, Tugg’s last hope for a comeback is portraying Four Leaf Tayback in a biographical Vietnam War epic called Tropic Thunder, produced by the notorious, explosive Les Grossman. But when the entire production falls apart within the deep jungle, Tugg’s poor survival skills are put to the true test.

Interests… drama, action – all the major genres of acting. Tugg wants to think of himself as a true “actor,” but among the likes of five-time Oscar winner Kirk Lazarus, Tugg is thought of as little more than a sellout and a fool. Now Kirk is working with Tugg on Tropic Thunder, playing African-American soldier Sgt. Osiris even though he’s a white Australian. Now that’s acting.

Relationship Status… single. Tugg has to remain single during the on-location shoot in Southeast Asia. It’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make for his craft.

Challenge… surviving the production. This becomes much more threatening when he actually gets stranded in the real jungle with real explosives and not a single person who knows anything about how to actually survive in the wilderness, only how to pretend for the cameras. Toss in a murderous drug cartel called the Flying Dragons and several mostly clueless fellow actors, and the deluded Tugg is in much more trouble than he realizes.

Personality… dim-witted, yet oddly confident in his skills. Tugg is among the most oblivious of actors – which is saying a lot. He believes that his career is not over yet and he truly thinks he has a shot at getting back on top as an action hero. Tugg is dedicated to his image and works as hard as anyone to make his dreams a reality.