Michael Chiklis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Rob Corddry and Mike Flynt discuss "The Senior," in theaters Friday, inspired by Flynt returning to college at 59.

Michael Chiklis is "The Senior," in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Angel Studios UPI Eileen Flynt (Mary Stuart Masterson, C) watches her husband in the big game in "The Senior," in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Angel Studios UPI Coach Sam Weston (Rob Corddry) reluctantly lets Mike Flynt play in "The Senior," in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Angel Studios UPI Mike Flynt (Michael Chiklis) trains to play football at age 59 in "The Senior," in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Angel Studios UPI Michael Chiklis plays Mike Flynt in "The Senior," in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Angel Studios UPI

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Michael Chiklis says his inspirational sports drama The Senior, in theaters Friday, fulfilled a childhood dream of acting in something meaningful. The film tells the true story of Mike Flynt, who resumed college for his senior year at age 59 and played for Sul Ross State University's Division III football team.

In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, Chiklis, 62, said he's been looking for material like The Senior. Ever since playing corrupt cop Vic Mackey on the acclaimed FX series The Shield, Chiklis has been cast in dramatic material like the border patrol drama Coyote and legal series Accused.

"I've been craving doing something like this," Chiklis said of The Senior. "This kind of movie is one of the kinds of movies that made me want to become an actor when I was young; the kind of movie that you'd go and see at the theater, wide-eyed as a kid and just go, 'Oh, that's what I want to do.'"

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The Senior follows in the tradition of sports movies like Rudy and Invincible, which were also based on true stories. Chiklis hopes Flynt's comeback story also inspires audiences.

"What a wonderful thing to be able to tell people stories and to be able to move them in that way and to make them feel good about their life or inspired to do something with their life," Chiklis said.

Chiklis's co-stars agreed. Mary Stuart Masterson, 59, who plays Mike's wife, Eileen, felt the Division III story made The Senior more relatable than stories of NFL legends.

"The real NFL football players or NBA basketball, they're creatures," Masterson said. "They're like superheroes. I'm not even in the same species."

Masterson felt she could relate more to Mike fulfilling his dream of completing his senior year with the football team, rather than winning a Super Bowl.

"It's about a personal goal and a personal redemption and a second chance," she said. "I think people are capable of transformation and of dreams coming true at any age so I love stories like that."

The real-life Flynt visited the set of the film in footage shown during the end credits. He told UPI that completing his senior year closed an unfinished chapter in his life.

"I had those dreams until I went back to play," Flynt said. "After I played, in 18 years I haven't had that dream."

The film shows how Flynt cleared his return with the school, and endured rehab after experiencing injuries during training. Flynt said the physical toll football took on his older body was the biggest surprise.

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"I didn't think there was going to be enough ice in Alpine, Texas," Flynt said. "A 59-year-old body just does not recover like an 18-, 19-year-old-body."

The real Eileen was available to speak with Masterson too. Based on their conversations, Masterson and writer/director Rod Lurie added a few scenes in which Eileen reminds Mike he has a family to consider if he gets injured.

"I felt like what a great way to use a real person in a situation to just create a little more obstacles and more tension," Masterson said. "Some of the ideas for that also came from Rod's wife. It takes a village to make a movie."

The 59-year-old senior created a situation for the team's coach, too. The real 2007 Sul Ross coach was not available to Rob Corddry, who plays coach Sam Weston in the film.

"I imagine that by this time he's a little sick of this story because he's lived it on the front lines," Corddry, 54, said. "All I had to do was react to this incredibly uncommon situation which is inherently funny. But I tell you, it wasn't funny to him. That coach, he's not trying to be funny one second of that film."

Weston ultimately does accept Flynt and realizes that Flynt is a bigger inspiration to the team than the coach could ever be.

"He finds himself swept in by the inspirational Mike Flynt," Corddry said.

Chiklis said he did feel a bit like Flynt returning to college when he worked with the actors playing his Sul Ross teammates. In the film, Flynt has to ask his teammates to call him Mike, and Chiklis had to similarly remind co-star Chris Becerra.

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"The kid who plays Fernie kept on calling me Mr. Chiklis," Chiklis said. "I would say, 'Man, call me Chikie, come on. It's all right.' I had such a wonderful time with those young men."

The cast is also happy to have a family story play in theaters alongside the big blockbusters. Corddry was pleased people can have a communal experience together rather than watch the film alone on streaming.

"You're going to be able to see this in theaters which doesn't happen as much if you're not a big Marvel movie or John Wick 5," Corddry said. "It's a great opportunity for people to get out there and see it with a bunch of people."

Masterson is happy The Senior puts regular human beings on the big screen.

"It just feels like it's a movie for everyone because it delivers the sports standup and cheer moments," she said. "But, it's also really a family story and about older people too still having big hopes and dreams, that it's not all in the past. It has all that."