Rob Riggle’s Emotional Return To Military Roots

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For Rob Riggle, The Pirate King gave him a chance to return to his military roots.

While many know Riggle as an actor and comedian, the funny man is also a veteran, serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for 23 years, from 1990 to 2013. He started as an active-duty Marine and later transitioned to the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, after tours in places including Liberia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan.

And while it’s been more than a decade since Riggle hung up his uniform, The Pirate King sees him back in that world, taking on the role of Todd, a troubled Marine vet battling PTSD and addiction. Feeling like his life has hit rock bottom, Todd is thrown a lifeline after joining a motley crew of pirate re-enactors, giving him a renewed purpose where he least expects it. Speaking about the film in an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan at SXSW in Austin, Texas, last week, Riggle revealed how the Josh Plasse-directed film hit him on a “very deep level” as a veteran.

Rob Riggle: It spoke to me on a very deep level. I worked with a lot of veteran organizations, and I could see what Josh was doing here, and I thought it was important. I don’t get many opportunities at dramas, so when Josh gave me that opportunity, I definitely wanted to be part of it.

While the film toys with the idea of finding escapism through these pirate re-enactments, it quickly turns into something deeper, especially for Todd, giving him a shot at redemption, a renewed fight for custody of his daughter, and a chance to reclaim the life he thought was gone for good. And it was exactly that story of second chances that drew the Modern Family alum to the project.

Rob Riggle: I was lucky enough that Josh reached out to me with the script and asked if I would read it. And I did, and I was blown away. And then we got to meet and talk about it some more, and we fleshed out some things — elements of it that made sense. And once we worked our way through it, it was kind of a no-brainer. I wanted to be part of it.

The Pirate King Not Only Stars A Vet, It Was Also Inspired By Real-Life Pirate Veterans

SXSW Pirate King in Austin, Texas
SXSW Pirate King in Austin, Texas
ScreenRant

Based on a true story about Plasse’s own uncle, the film, which also stars Jordana Brewster, Matt Barr, Billie Lourd, and more, was inspired by veteran families who had lost their loved ones to suicide.

ScreenRant: There’s a true story behind this, too. So tell me how you found this story, and what was the most interesting aspect about it to you.

Josh Plasse: A few years ago, a team and I collectively did a rock run for suicide awareness with a great group called Stop Soldier Suicide. And along the way, we interviewed a number of what they call “survivor families,” who’ve lost their loved ones to suicide. And we brought a camera crew with us, just so that they could tell their stories to the world. And some of them had — whether it be last words or messages that they wanted to share with the public, something that other veterans should keep in mind — and through their stories, we all found ourselves really touched, obviously. So we started doing more and more and more interviews, and three people really stood out to me. One of them had a very similar story to my uncle, who was also a Marine and happens to be a pirating actor, hence The Pirate King. So I actually just took his real-life story and blended it with some of the folks that we met along the way, and that became The Pirate King.

ScreenRant: And for people watching it that are really affected by it, what can they do to kind of get involved?

Josh Plasse: At the end of the movie, there is a big QR code. There’s a big paragraph with text for reaching out to Stop Soldier Suicide, and they have all kinds of really cool resources to help. There are so many veteran charities now, that’s just the one that I like the most. But I would say, and Rob’s probably better equipped to answer this than I am, but for me, just taking a step towards one of these charities and asking how you can get involved. It’s as simple as that, because they’ll usually point you in the right direction.

Rob Riggle: There’s a lot of really great organizations doing really great work, and it’s very important work, and there are endless resources if you reach out. And for those who I think suffer in any way, whether it’s … and when I’m talking about suffering, I mean PTSD. It doesn’t have to be combat-related. There are all kinds of PTSD, and there’s a lot of resources out there. What happens, I think, is that people don’t get the help. They don’t ask, they don’t reach out, they isolate, and that’s when they get in trouble. And so staying connected is a big part of it. So, hopefully, people will see this, stay connected, and get help.

The Pirate King made its world premiere at SXSW on March 16 and is awaiting a global release date!

SXSW logo poster

Location

Austin, Texas

Description

The SXSW Conference is an annual event held in Austin, Texas, that celebrates the convergence of technology, film, music, education, and culture. It features a diverse range of programming, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, exhibitions, networking events, and live performances, attracting professionals, creators, and innovators from around the world to explore new ideas and emerging trends.

Dates

March 12–18, 2026


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