Giovanni Roselli must have a four-leaf clover, a rabbit's foot or a guardian angel on his side. This former WWE talent overcame some amazing obstacles to land a small part in the award winning independent movie The Wrestler.

Talk about an unusual journey.

Roselli -- better known as Romeo Roselli, one half of WWE's Heart Throbs -- can thank a cut from an in-grown hair under his arm for his Screen Actor's Guild card.

Getting a SAG card is very important to a newcomer in Hollywood or anywhere else union projects are being filmed. Many agents will not take an actor if he or she does not have a SAG card. Some casting directors will only use SAG talent.

Not thinking of any movie roles and preparing for knee surgery in October 2007, Roselli postponed the operation after doctors learned of an in-grown hair which could lead to an infection or worse, if they proceeded with surgery.

That's when Evan Ginzburg called.

Ginzburg, a wrestling historian, newsletter writer and radio host, was an associate producer for The Wrestler, directed by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, RoboCop 2010).

Ginzburg asked Roselli if he was interested in auditioning for the movie.

It was more than a year since Roselli competed for WWE. He spent time in Puerto Rico, working for Carlos Colon's World Wresting Council. He also wrestled in France and Italy as well as an appearance in TNA. And the indies.

Good thing Roselli had to wait for knee surgery, or he would have missed this movie opportunity.

''I went to the original casting to meet with Darren Aronofsky and some of the writers in Brooklyn,'' Roselli said. ``Then, I didn't hear anything for a while.''

Roselli still required knee surgery from a wrestling related injury on the indie circuit.

''Evan called me up Friday before the Tuesday [in November 2007] where I was going to have that knee surgery,'' Roselli said. 'This was a second call back. I thought, `Screw the knee surgery.' I went on the second audition in full wrestling gear with my knee brace.

'As soon as I walked in, they asked me about the knee brace, concerned. I thought, `Oh no.' Still, I knew I nailed it, and Aronofsky had some amazing things to say about me. That night Evan called me up. That was not normal.

``Evan said, `Darren really wants to use you, but Darren is concerned about the knee. We just have to show them you can wrestle. Get a recent tape of you wrestling.'

'I had one of myself versus TNA's Abyss. We did moves off the ropes, chairs, all this stuff. `See. I can do all this stuff. No worries.' I also had an orthopedic doctor's note, saying it was OK. I kept my fingers crossed.''

Waiting and more waiting.

''It was January 9th, my mom's birthday,'' Roselli said. ``We were going out to eat. That's when they called and offered me a role in the movie. I was so happy. The first day of shooting was February 16 working with [TNA/WWE talent] Ron Killings at Jersey All Pro Wrestling in Rahway, New Jersey.''

Roselli still needed knee surgery.

``Two weeks before shooting, I was doing a bench press. On the final rep, there was an entire rip in my chest. I knew it. I partially tore my pec. I just lost it. I was so disappointed. Doctors said, `There will be other movies. You need to have surgery.'

``I had put off knee surgery, got the part and now this. `What am I going to do? What am I going to tell the movie people?'