Laurence “Mr. T” Tureaud became one of the 1980s’ biggest stars, but his rise to fame started with a persona unlike any other.
His signature catchphrase, “I pity the fool!” became nearly as recognizable as his acting career and professional wrestling appearances.
His breakout role in 1982’s “Rocky III” alongside Sylvester Stallone and Hulk Hogan led to a television takeover, landing the role of Sgt. B.A. Baracus on NBC’s “The A-Team” in 1983.
The mohawk-rocking entertainer crossed paths with numerous Hollywood figures throughout his decades-long showbiz career.
His main-event appearance as Hogan’s tag-team partner at the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985 further cemented his legacy in professional wrestling and helped the WWF (now WWE) grow into a global sports-entertainment giant.
The new Netflix biographical documentary “Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool” delves into the life of the 74-year-old WWE Hall of Fame inductee.
Mr. T also shared more about what it was like to be famous in an interview with People. The Chicago-born Army veteran opened up about dealing with envious people.
“I’ve had to deal with a lot of jealousy,” Mr. T said before adding, “In the neighborhood, a lot of Black people didn’t like me and white people didn’t like me, because I wasn’t supposed to rise up.”
Apparently, Mr. T also dealt with envy on the set of “The A-Team.” His mother’s advice to take the high road prompted him to show love when facing hate.
“Plus, like I tell people, that’s what haters do. Haters hate. Runners run. Actors act. Players play. A hater’s gotta hate, and I give them the room. But I don’t hate,” he told the outlet.
Reported bad blood between Mr. T and co-star George Peppard fueled 1980s gossip columns throughout “The A-Team’s” five-season run.
Peppard, who played team leader Col. John “Hannibal” Smith, clashed with Mr. T behind the scenes as personality conflicts and resentment over pay-scale differences created a persistent rift between the two stars.
“So [Peppard] was out there, in there, howling, ‘Yeah, I hate Mr. T,’ And I wouldn’t fight it back. I wouldn’t give him the ammunition to work with. You ain’t heard me say nothing bad about that. That’s how I beat everybody,” Mr. T explained in his latest interview.
Mr. T — who first gained national attention by winning NBC’s “America’s Toughest Bouncer” competition in 1980 — also reflected on the cold reception he received in the WWF locker room.
More experienced wrestlers were said to be jealous of Mr. T’s meteoric rise in the Vince McMahon-run promotion. Accusations of taking a “shortcut” to the main event scene seemingly angered the other grapplers.
His primary WrestleMania opponent, the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, fiercely opposed the Hollywood star headlining the wrestling industry’s marquee showcase.
Piper teamed up with Paul Orndorff in a losing effort against Mr. T and Hogan at the inaugural WrestleMania. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali served as a special referee for the bout.
“They didn’t know I was tough. They thought I was just a celebrity. So they hated, and I loved them,” Mr. T said about his tense interactions with the seasoned WWF ring warriors.
Fans online weighed in on Mr. T’s comments about having to tackle green-eyed monsters among his co-workers. One X user tweeted, “Jealousy’s everywhere when success hits, no surprise there.”
A Facebook user had a similar reaction, writing, “Not surprised.” Another commenter referenced the actor’s famous catchphrase by posting, “According to Mr. T, fools are to be pitied.”
Others had more heat for Mr. T’s alleged jealous tormentors, like Peppard and Piper, calling his antagonists “crabs in a barrel.”
As far as Netflix’s “Untold,” Mr. T blasted the 48-minute episode in the days leading up to its release. He spoke to The Guardian about his frustrations with the sports-focused docuseries.
“The documentary pissed me off, because they didn’t cover a lot of stuff. When I saw it, I was like: ‘What the heck?’ It’s garbage,” Mr. T complained to the British publication.
He also said, “That’s what we call, in the Black community, a white man wanting to change the story and control the narrative. If you don’t know me, you’re gonna think I’m some monster.”
