Toni Storm has taken on a number of memorable roles throughout her professional wrestling career. In All Elite Wrestling, she’s been a rockstar, an outcast, and simply timeless. The reigning and defending AEW Women’s World Champion has even inhabited the role of her long-time rival “The Glamour” Mariah May. But in the new film Queen of the Ring, which tells the story of women’s wrestling pioneer Mildred Burke, she steps into the boots of the legendary Clara Mortensen. 

During the Los Angeles premiere of the movie from writer and director Ash Avildsen, Storm talked to us about how meaningful it was to play such an influential figure in pro wrestling.

“It means the absolute world to me,” Storm said. “This is a story of how women’s wrestling started. Women’s wrestling is what I’ve devoted my entire life to, so to be able to play a real-life person, a real-life professional wrestler from the 1930s is just an absolute honor. I played Clara Mortensen and I tried my best to do everything, all the mannerisms, and it was just a wonderful time. It really was. And a very, very big honor.”

In inhabiting one of Burke’s biggest rivals, Storm shared that there was one thing above all else that she took away from the trailblazing Mortensen: Her tenacity. But when it came to their similarities, the two dominant competitors have a lot in common.

“[She was an] absolutely vivacious vixen of a woman,” praised Storm. “I guess it really wasn’t that hard to play that role when you think about it. I mean, it wasn’t that much of a stretch. Not only did I look like her, and there was an uncanny resemblance, but I am a captivating champion myself. So it was just a role that I just so naturally slipped into.”

Finally, the conversation turned to her upcoming title defense against the nefarious Mariah May, who would actually go on to attack the champion on the red carpet later that night. The two will square off in the final chapter of their story at AEW Revolution this weekend in Los Angeles. And according to the savage starlet, this match will be right at home in Tinseltown among the greatest cinematic endings of all time.

“Well, this is the end. This is the Hollywood ending. And this is the last time that I’ll ever have to deal with Mariah May,” Storm prophesied. “After this, she will be properly defeated. I will not see her again. I’m going to absolutely decimate her. There’ll be no more. I’m going to miss her. Yeah, I’m going to miss everything.” 

To see the final chapter between “The Glamour” Mariah May and “Timeless” Toni Storm unfold, tune in to AEW Revolution on Sunday, March 9, 2025. The event can be viewed on Triller TV, PPW.com, YouTube (internationally), and Prime Video.

And to see the AEW Women’s World Champion shine on the silver screen alongside fellow wrestlers Kamille as June Byers and Naomi as Ethel Johnson, you can catch Queen of the Ring starring Emily Bett Rickards, Josh Lucas, Tyler Posey, and Walton Goggins in theaters everywhere.  

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