Earlier this month, I participated in the fourth year of “Who Needs Sleep”, a Dallas-based 36-hour cancer benefit marathon that I’m very proud and honored to be a part of (you can find more info on that here). One of the things we feature during the lengthy broadcast is interviews with various creative personalities, everything from live musical performances to Hollywood actors and directors. This year I had a chance to catch up with my old friend Sean Patrick Flanery, known for his terrific performances in things like YOUNG INDIANA JONES, POWDER, SUICIDE KINGS, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS movies, SAW VII and more. His newest film is BORN A CHAMPION (which you can pre-order here), a personal project he’s been working on for years that tells the story of MMA legend Mickey Kelley, one of the first American black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Flanery wrote and stars in the film, which we previously featured the trailer for here, and which comes out next month. In this candid interview below, I talk to Sean about BORN A CHAMPION, whether or not THE BOONDOCK SAINTS III is still in the cards, and his martial arts Dojo in Houston, TX. And toward the end, Sean shares how cancer has affected him on a very personal level. My thanks to Devin Pike for editing this, and my sincere thanks to Sean for taking time to do it.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
