Since emerging in the late 19th century, professional wrestling has had its ups and downs in terms of popularity. While the medium has always had its fair share of fans throughout history, its place in the mainstream has ebbed and flowed depending on the particular taste at the time. But as time goes on and the perception fades from “fake” to entertainment, more and more people are coming around to pro wrestling as a viable option for engaging storytelling, including the stars of Hollywood.

While walking the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of Queen of the Ring, the new film from writer and director Ash Avildsen about the life and career of trailblazing female wrestler Mildred Burke, the film’s cast discussed their relationships to professional wrestling. And not only did they share their affinity for it, but they expressed a desire to return to the squared circle in the future.   

Kelli Berglund’s Unexpected Appreciation For Wrestling

Many members of the Queen of the Ring cast had a history with professional wrestling before joining the project. Active wrestlers like Naomi, Mickie James, “Timeless” Toni Storm, and Britt Baker were featured throughout the movie. Kamille, who played June Byers, was even holding the NWA championship that Burke and Byers made famous during their prestigious careers while shooting. 

But in terms of the non-wrestling members of the cast, few had the type of experience that Kelli Berglund did. Before taking on the role of Nell Stewart, she starred in Michael Waldron’s Starz wrestling drama Heels as Crystal Tyler, a valet who eventually became a wrestler and her promotion’s champion. And though she’s now ready to take on a third wrestling project, she was completely detached from the world of suplexes and clotheslines before taking the roles of Crystal and Nell. 

“It was a world that I knew nothing about prior to doing Heels [or] Queen of the Ring. The appreciation that I have for this sport is something totally unexpected in my life,” Berglund revealed. “I can’t even tell you how athletic these people are. These athletes are superstars. What they do is so tough. A lot of people love to look down on wrestling because it’s scripted. People are playing these larger-than-life superheroes and supervillains, [so] it might look crazy to an outsider. But the work that goes into telling these stories and playing these characters is so admirable. Not just in the commitment to the storyline and the characters, but the physicality is insane. I have such a high respect for it. It’s such a theatrical, beautiful thing.”

But before she finds another wrestling story to tell, could she possibly return to the Duffy Wrestling League alongside her Heels co-stars Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig? Unfortunately, despite the series being available to stream on Netflix, things are still very much up in the air.

“We would love to keep telling the story,” Berglund said. “I think there’s a lot of questions that have been left unanswered and some storylines we need to wrap up, so I’m all for it. I know the entire cast is on board for it, so we’ll have to see if more people continue to watch it.”

Francesca Eastwood Would Be Forever (Mae) Young

One of the toughest wrestlers of all time was Mae Young. Not just one of the toughest women to step in the ring, but just one of the toughest period. Her career stretched from the 1930s to 2013, when she was still getting in the ring (but not wrestling) at 90 years old. So when it came time for an actor to portray this legendary woman, it seemed fitting that someone named Eastwood had stepped into the role. 

However, don’t get it twisted. This isn’t a nepo baby situation. Francesca Eastwood was absolutely the best person to play the part in Queen of the Ring. Fueled by grit and empathy, Eastwood’s Young stole nearly every scene she was in. But the actor shared that she really had a lot of great backstory to draw from and inform her performance. 

“I was really blessed because I watched all of her most recent stuff, so giving birth to a hand and being body slammed at [an advanced] age really stood out,” said Eastwood. “[But] then [I was] going back and finding out what type of woman she was. She had the balls to be openly gay in the 40s and 50s. I have so much respect for her and what she’s done for women’s wrestling. I love her. I wish I could have had a drink with her.”

While that may be a bit difficult until time travel is more commercially available, Eastwood shared that she’d love for Young to have her own story told like Burke’s in Queen of the Ring.

“I think she deserves her own story, whether or not. [Maybe] I’m on the production side or something like that. I would love to develop something for her because she’s really, really incredible and I think there’s a lot there,” Eastwood said.

Emily Bett Rickards Is Ready For More Ring Time 

Even before stepping into the ring as Mildred Burke, Emily Bett Rickards was no stranger to action. She was part of the DC’s Arrowverse on The CW for over 10 years. But as the star of Queen of the Ring, the actor behind Felicity Smoak is front and center of this story about one of the greatest champions in professional wrestling history. So what makes this the perfect time to tell this tale?

“I think her story is timeless,” Rickards said. “[Mildred] was a woman who believed we were stronger together. The more that I lift you up and the more that you lift me up, the stronger we are together. I think that she is a woman who believed in fairness and the right to choose… And I think she’s really a woman about connection and being able to follow what’s intrinsically and innately yours, and helping us find our bliss in that sense.”

Now, after embodying this remarkable woman, Rickards feels like she could follow her Arrow co-star and friend Stephen Amell into the ring for a match or two.

“Show me the ring, baby!” Rickards said. “I’m ready tomorrow.”

With connections to AEW and WWE thanks to co-stars “Timeless” Toni Storm and Naomi, it’s definitely possible to see her pop up on WWE Raw or AEW Dynamite at some point in the future. 

But while we anxiously await her in-ring debut, you can catch Rickards’s incredible performance in Queen of the Ring in theaters now. 

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