July 29, 2004
FAIRFAX, Va. - It's not a road often traveled, but apparently you can go from being a wrestler, to a boxer, into acting, and finally to being the "Next Action Star." From there you get to star in your own made-for-TV movie.
In the next-to-last episode that aired Wednesday evening, former George Mason University wrestler Timothy Sean Carrigan (1995-97) won the title of "Next Action Star" - an NBC reality television series that pitted 14 contestants in a weekly series of stunt action scenes, until the final winners - one man and one woman - get to star in their own television movie. The movie, titled "Bet Your Life", which will also double as the "Next Action Star" series finale, airs Wednesday, August 4, at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Carrigan beat out thousands of hopefuls in nationwide auditions to make the final cut of 14 competitors and compete for the opportunity to star in his own movie. The following excerpt was taken from the "Next Action Star" Web site (http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Next_Action_Star), which describes the reality series:
"In this new reality series from Joel Silver, the executive producer of the box-office blockbusters 'Matrix' and 'Die Hard,' daring, charismatic men and women from across the country compete against one another to become America's next high-powered male and female action heroes, winning not only a cash prize, but the chance to star in the NBC movie, 'Hit Me'(working title) produced by Silver Pictures. Over the course of 10 one-hour episodes, the 14 finalists are given the star treatment, living together in a Hollywood Hills mansion, while enduring a rigorous schedule that includes daily acting lessons, combat and stunt training, underwater work, descender training, race car driving and wirework.
"Each week, the climax of the episode will be a film screen-test, involving a breath-taking stunt action sequence competition -- and each week one pair of contestants will be eliminated -- until the final two are named the Next Action Stars -- earning the chance to star in the series' movie final."
The "Bet Your Life" movie, formerly titled "Hit Me," will feature Carrigan as a former pro football quarterback turned Vegas limo driver and the female "Next Action Star" winner as a bounty hunter pursuing him.
Carrigan, a transfer from Manhattan College, wrestled for George Mason in 1995-96 and 1996-97 and competed for current Patriot head coach Brian Shaffer. As a junior, he contended in the 167-pound weight class, earning a second-place finish at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships. Carrigan was a tri-captain for his 1996-97 senior season and posted a 23-13 overall mark, wrestling at 177 pounds. He had an overall record of 38-27 in two years with the Patriots.
A graduate with a degree in communications, Carrigan is also an accomplished boxer, having won several Golden Gloves and amateur boxing titles.
