The touching true story behind Amazon’s ‘Unstoppable’

Now streaming on Prime Video, “Unstoppable” tells the story of Anthony Robles, a boy born with only one leg who goes on to become a NCAA wrestling champion. And yes, the movie is based on a true story.

In the film, Robles is played by Jharrel Jerome and his mother Judy is played by Jennifer Lopez. But these are really real people who were even involved in making the film — Anthony Robles even did Jerome’s wrestling for him on screen — and have seen the final product.

The thing about true stories is, sometimes only parts of it are true. Here’s what we know about the real Anthony Robles.

Jhaerel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez in "Unstoppable" (MGM/Amazon)

Was Anthony Robles really a high school all-star?

Yes, he was. The real Anthony Robles won two state wrestling championships when he finished at Mesa High School, going 96–0 in his junior and senior years combined. Robles also won a national championship as a senior.

In “Unstoppable,” we see Anthony scaling the “Rocky” steps in Philadelphia to get pumped up ahead of those championships, and according to Robles, that was something he actually did, not just a light sports connection for the movie.

Did he really turn down a scholarship from Drexel?

Yes, he did. In the movie, Anthony desperately wants to go to the University of Iowa to wrestle, but he is never recruited. It is based on facts. Like it’s meant to be, he got a full scholarship from Drexel University, which his real mom encouraged him to take.

But in the end, Robles turned down the scholarship and went to Arizona State University, where he did not have a full ride. In his freshman year, he redshirted on the wrestling team.

unstoppable-cast-jharrel-jerome

Did he really have an abusive stepfather?

Unfortunately, yes. Bobby Cannavale plays Anthony’s stepfather, who is emotionally abusive to the family’s children, and eventually physically abusive to Anthony’s mother. In the film, there is a crucial confrontation between the two, with Anthony using his wrestling skills to pin down his stepfather until the police arrive.

That scene is partially fictionalized. As Robles explained USA todaythe actual physicality of that scene is dramatized, but “Things had broken down, the police were called, it happened.”

Has Arizona State really cut its wrestling program completely?

Yes, in short. In Robles’ first year, the ASU athletics department dropped its wrestling program as part of budget cuts. Robles considered transferring, but the program, like in the movie, was eventually reinstated.

Did Anthony really finish second the year before he won the NCAA Championship?

That part is not true. Although Anthony Robles went undefeated in his final wrestling season and beat the defending 125-pound NCAA champion, Iowa’s Matt McDonough, as shown in the film, the real Anthony did not place second the year before. In reality, he placed 7th in his weight class in the competition that year.

“Unstoppable” is now streaming on Prime Video.

Jharrel Jerome (photo by O'shane Howard)