Kamille and Damaris Lewis are excited for fans to step into the squared circle with their new film, Queen of the Ring.
The pair spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about the upcoming release of Queen of the Ring. The film showcases Mildred Burke, a pioneer of women’s wrestling in the 1950s. Emily Bett Rickards plays the lead role, while wrestlers like Toni Storm and Naomi also appear in feature roles. Kamille (billed as Kailey Latimer in the credits) portrays June Byers, while Lewis took on the role of Babs Wingo.
Latimer was asked about the process of portraying another wrestler, and she said the in-ring portion was the easiest to adapt to. She pointed out the similarities to her Kamille character, who is known for being silent and intimidating.
“I’m gonna be completely honest, being June was so easy, because I read about her and her background and everything like that. She was this rough and tough Texas chick, and she didn’t take any crap from anybody. Everyone was scared of her,” Latimer explained. “As Kamille, I was like, well, that’s already kind of my wrestling character.
“So, to be able to research June and learn more about her — for the scenes where I was speaking, that changed a little bit, just knowing where her headspace was,” she added. “But for the in-ring stuff, I basically just got to be Kamille. It already helped that I’m Southern, so I didn’t have to put on an accent or anything.”
Latimer said that her work was validated after Byers’ granddaughter visited the set and told her June would be so happy with her in the role.
“That made me feel like, okay, I’m doing this right,” Latimer noted.
Kamille is excited for more people to see that she’s a good promo
Kamille was a breakout star in the NWA, making her debut in 2018 as Nick Aldis‘ insurance policy. She was initially positioned as an enforcer type persona who didn’t speak much. Kamille eventually started to cut more promos. However, this work was largely aired while NWA Powerrr was broadcast behind a paywall.
When she left NWA and signed with AEW in 2024, Kamille aligned with Mercedes Moné. There, she once again resumed the powerhouse persona. Aside from when she “quit” working for Moné, Kamille didn’t have much promo time and let her (former) CEO do the talking. Now, Queen of the Ring will give fans a great chance to see what she can do on the mic.
“For about a year, or really two years, NWA was behind a paywall, and that’s when I was champion and cutting really good promos. So, a lot of people didn’t get to see those,” Latimer explained. “But yeah, I’ve been cutting some good promos for a minute now, but a lot of people didn’t get to see those.”
“No, no, no. It is fair [to say] that a lot of people haven’t gotten a chance to see that. I’m with you. I’m excited for people to see that side, or never got a chance to see because it was behind that paywall. Now this movie is going national, [and I’m excited to show what I can do].”
When Will Kamille Return To AEW TV?
Kamille has not been seen in AEW since her split from Mercedes Moné on the November 27, 2024 episode of Dynamite. She was asked when fans could expect to see her back on TV, but indirectly declined to answer the question. Instead, Lewis jumped in and did her best “Paul Heyman” and answered for her “client” sitting next to her.
“My client has chosen not to comment on the matter at hand. But we are open to more questions,” Lewis replied.
Queen of the Ring opens in theatres on Friday, March 7. Both Lewis and Latimer highlighted how the film is a story about strength and perseverance, but also highlights the bond Burke, Byers and Wingo shared with their peers. Lewis pointed out that the story wouldn’t exist without these pioneers, and hopes fans flock to the theatre and have fun.
“My first thought would be a thank you to all of these women,” Lewis said. “They’re not here for us to talk to them. But we’ve done the best that we can with what we’ve got. This movie wouldn’t exist without them, so thank you to them. And to the fans, come have fun. Get in the theatre and get ready to have some fun.”
“You do not have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy this movie,” Latimer added.
Watch our full interview with Kamille and Damaris Lewis below:
