Naomi has grown as a performer in and out of the ring in recent years.
WWE Superstar Naomi recently spoke with Lauren Coates of Variety. When asked about her recent experience filming Queen of the Ring, Naomi called it a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“When I saw the audition opportunity come across, I was blown away, because these types of auditions and opportunities for me, in my situation, are once in a lifetime,” Naomi said. “Being involved in the sport for the last 16 years, seeing the evolution of it, and being part of the current evolution in women’s wrestling, I understood the significance of it. I already knew the story of Mildred Burke, but diving into this movie, I was definitely able to learn a whole lot more.”
Naomi plays Ethel Johnson in Queen of the Ring
Naomi also spoke about what it meant to her to portray Ethel Johnson in the film and wondered what it was like for her to come up as a wrestler in that era.
“The fact that I even get to play her is crazy, Naomi said. “She debuted around 16 years old, and she was the first African American Women’s Champion. She not only had the struggle of being a female wrestler when all-female wrestling was illegal period, but she also had to deal with being black, and that layer of segregation.
“I can’t even wrap my mind around what it would have been like to be in her time. To find whatever that was inside her to say ‘I’m gonna continue to do this even though it’s hard, even though we’re getting things thrown at us, getting death threats. We can’t drive to the shows without cops pulling us over and wanting to kill or harass us or put us in jail.’ It’s mind-blowing to me what they experienced.”
Queen of the Ring is playing in theaters now.
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What do you make of Naomi’s comments? Are you going to check out Queen of the Ring in theaters this weekend? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
