Josh Waitzkin

I've had coaches who were super destructive. But Bruce wasn't. He was beautiful and loving and helped me discover my love for chess. My first coaches were the hustlers in Washington Square Park and Bruce Pendolfini together. And the way that was represented, I didn't like it.

I've had coaches who were super destructive. But Bruce wasn't. He was beautiful and loving and helped me discover my love for chess. My first coaches were the hustlers in Washington Square Park and Bruce Pendolfini together. And the way that was represented, I didn't like it.

I've had coaches who were super destructive. But Bruce wasn't. He was beautiful and loving and helped me discover my love for chess. My first coaches were the hustlers in Washington Square Park and Bruce Pendolfini together. And the way that was represented, I didn't like it.

They also combined a bunch of characters in Washington Square Park, the hustlers that combined them into one in a way that, you know, was thematically true but didn't feel... So, like, when you're a kid, you're a teenager, you see all the difference. A movie comes out about your life. You see all the differences as opposed to the similarities. And it was...

They also combined a bunch of characters in Washington Square Park, the hustlers that combined them into one in a way that, you know, was thematically true but didn't feel... So, like, when you're a kid, you're a teenager, you see all the difference. A movie comes out about your life. You see all the differences as opposed to the similarities. And it was...

They also combined a bunch of characters in Washington Square Park, the hustlers that combined them into one in a way that, you know, was thematically true but didn't feel... So, like, when you're a kid, you're a teenager, you see all the difference. A movie comes out about your life. You see all the differences as opposed to the similarities. And it was...

Yeah, and I felt really guilty about it relative to Bruce. That was a big part of it, because I love Bruce. Did you talk to him about it?

Yeah, and I felt really guilty about it relative to Bruce. That was a big part of it, because I love Bruce. Did you talk to him about it?

Yeah, and I felt really guilty about it relative to Bruce. That was a big part of it, because I love Bruce. Did you talk to him about it?

Yeah, he was named Bruce in the movie, and honestly, he loved it. It put him in the spotlight as the chess teacher in the country, in the world. So he rolled with it really well. I was just sensitive to... all these mean-spirited things that happened between us in the film that never happened in life. And years later, those things did happen to me.

Yeah, he was named Bruce in the movie, and honestly, he loved it. It put him in the spotlight as the chess teacher in the country, in the world. So he rolled with it really well. I was just sensitive to... all these mean-spirited things that happened between us in the film that never happened in life. And years later, those things did happen to me.

Yeah, he was named Bruce in the movie, and honestly, he loved it. It put him in the spotlight as the chess teacher in the country, in the world. So he rolled with it really well. I was just sensitive to... all these mean-spirited things that happened between us in the film that never happened in life. And years later, those things did happen to me.

And actually, during those years, when it came out, they were happening to me then. What was interesting is I had some really destructive coaches during that time. And I didn't put that on Bruce. But also what happened with the movie is that I loved chess so deeply. It was my first form of self-expression. And up until the film came out, it was just sort of this pre-conscious, innocent form of...

And actually, during those years, when it came out, they were happening to me then. What was interesting is I had some really destructive coaches during that time. And I didn't put that on Bruce. But also what happened with the movie is that I loved chess so deeply. It was my first form of self-expression. And up until the film came out, it was just sort of this pre-conscious, innocent form of...

And actually, during those years, when it came out, they were happening to me then. What was interesting is I had some really destructive coaches during that time. And I didn't put that on Bruce. But also what happened with the movie is that I loved chess so deeply. It was my first form of self-expression. And up until the film came out, it was just sort of this pre-conscious, innocent form of...

of play of battle of, of like it was, it was my, it was my jujitsu mats. It was, it was, I fucking loved it. And, and then the, the, the movie is what pulled me into self-consciousness for the first time. I started thinking about, instead of losing myself in thought, I started thinking about how I looked to groupies, to cameras, to the rest.

of play of battle of, of like it was, it was my, it was my jujitsu mats. It was, it was, I fucking loved it. And, and then the, the, the movie is what pulled me into self-consciousness for the first time. I started thinking about, instead of losing myself in thought, I started thinking about how I looked to groupies, to cameras, to the rest.

of play of battle of, of like it was, it was my, it was my jujitsu mats. It was, it was, I fucking loved it. And, and then the, the, the movie is what pulled me into self-consciousness for the first time. I started thinking about, instead of losing myself in thought, I started thinking about how I looked to groupies, to cameras, to the rest.

And so like I, I moved from self-expression to self-consciousness to being locked up. And then, you know, And I didn't ask for it. I didn't decide I want to have a movie. This thing was done. It was ultimately, I mean, I'm grateful for it. From my perspective now, the existential crisis that happened was awesome for me.

And so like I, I moved from self-expression to self-consciousness to being locked up. And then, you know, And I didn't ask for it. I didn't decide I want to have a movie. This thing was done. It was ultimately, I mean, I'm grateful for it. From my perspective now, the existential crisis that happened was awesome for me.