Gladiators, a tour featuring stars from NBC’s “American Gladiators” television series, will be touring with Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE). The tour features Alex “Militia” Castro, Beth “Venom” Horn, “Hollywood” Yates, and Jen “Phoenix” Widerstrom, with 10 shows running from June 24 to July 4, 2024, at bases in Europe. The tour is part of Heat Wave, AFE’s annual summer event series.
Cuban-born actor and entertainer Alex Castro got his start in show business in Havana, where he was part of the famed Tropicana nightclub troupe. Once stateside, his first gig was something completely different: 4 years with the U.S. Marines, who rescued him after attempting to cross from Cuba to Miami in 1994. “It was my gesture of thanks to join because they rescued me and gave me the opportunity to follow my dreams,” said Castro. After his honorable discharge, Castro appeared in various music videos with major artists such as Will Smith and Gloria Estefan. He eventually joined the prestigious Cirque du Soleil, which allowed him to perform and demonstrate his amazing strength and physical abilities to sold-out audiences around the world and in Las Vegas. Five years later, Castro was spotted by an NBC producer while performing a circus stunt at a charity event. That opportunity landed him the role of Militia in the reboot of “American Gladiators.” Standing at 6-foot-3, Alex has a strong presence and a natural gift of “star quality.” He was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful Latinos in Hollywood by People magazine.
Beth Horn is a national fitness champion and one of the leading experts on health and fitness in the United States, breaking new ground in the field of exercise science. She has developed numerous fitness programs and diet plans for her personal training clients, authored her own book, “The Natural Way: The Holistic Guide to Total Mind-Body Health and Fitness,” and has written numerous fitness articles in Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Flex, Men’s Fitness, and Oxygen Magazine. Horn has transitioned to acting and motivational speaking, with the intention to inspire and motivate people worldwide, and has visited U.S. soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Hawaii, and parts of Africa. She appeared on the NBC show “American Gladiators” as Venom, “America’s toughest sweetheart.” Beth’s first movie, Fancypants, debuted in the fall of 2009. In the film, Horn plays Animal Babe, a professional wrestler taking on the male-dominated sports entertainment industry. She also works with the students at the Professional Fitness Institute based in Las Vegas and with injured veterans for Destination Fitness Training.
Jen Widerstrom is a wellness industry leader, celebrity trainer, and best-selling, globally published author. Widerstrom made her first large-scale impact on NBC’s “American Gladiators,” and then again as a coach on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” Off-screen, she served as the executive fitness director of Shape magazine, where she helped inform fitness coverage and represented the brand at high-level corporate meetings and events. Widerstrom is an esteemed expert in the entertainment industry and a featured regular on shows such as “LIVE” with Kelly and Ryan and “The Doctors.” She earned her core degree in sports administration from the University of Kansas and is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) with a specialization in fitness nutrition, behavior change, and beginner training. She founded her own community-driven fitness platform, jenwiderstrom.com, in 2019.
Hollywood Yates, also known as Wolf on “American Gladiators,” is as tough and wild as they come. Yates emerged as one of the top American Gladiators due to his looks, branded howl, and snide comments like “I smell blood. I smell fear and I am going to eat you.” He has gained millions of fans not only in the United States but around the world through the syndication of “American Gladiator” in 91 countries.
Yates was quickly embraced by the media soon after “American Gladiators” premiered. He has appeared on the “Today” show,” VH1’s “Best Week Ever,” “Deal or No Deal,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Access Hollywood,” Fox’s “Happy Hour,” “The CW 11,” and “Fox & Friends”. He has been heard across the nation through his numerous radio tours, including the “Rick Dees Weekly Top 40” radio show, Go Country 105, Shade 45, Mike and Murray, and Maxim Radio, in addition to appearing in articles published in Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and People magazine.
AFE has been committed to boosting the morale and well-being of service members and their families stationed overseas through world-class live events and performances since 1951.
