Trish Stratus says she is confident she could handle working in a WWE ring again. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, the Hall of Famer said WWE would have to present her with something different than she’s done before to get her back.
“I’d only go back if it was worth it and if it was a challenge for me,” Trish told Sports Illustrated. “Something that’s different and unique, like playing a heel again, which would be super cool. I’ve gone back as a babyface, so it would have to be something challenging and something that would elevate either the division or a talent. Not just me for my own sh–s and giggles to raise my brand.”
The former WWE Women’s Champion pointed out that an opportunity to work with UFC star Ronda Rousey would be enough to get her interest.
“It would be good if there was a moment to elevate a character. I’d love to work with Ronda Rousey, but I don’t know if she’d be up for that,” Trish said.
Rousey, who appeared at WrestleMania 31, said back in November that she’s “ready” to join WWE. “I have so many obligations, but I really want to find a way to make it happen,” Rousey said of potentially working for the company. “I’m a huge fan wrestling, and I would like to see the position of women in the sport continue to improve, so if I can be a part of it, great.”
Trish Stratus says she’s still satisfied with her decision to retire from wrestling in September 2006. The WWE Hall of Famer recently spoke with TorontoSun.com about receiving the “Iron” Mike Mazurki Award and talked about finishing her WWE career.
“It think takes a certain braveness or courage to step away when you’re on top and just confidently walk away knowing that ‘I’m satisfied with what I did’ and I’m ready to start the next chapter,” Stratus admitted. “And I haven’t looked back.”
Stratus revealed that she still keeps tabs on what’s going on in the WWE Universe. She says she still watches RAW and Total Divas every now and then.
“You forget this crazy, whirlwind that you created and the impact that it left because you do remove yourself a little bit from it,” she said. “I still watch Raw, I tune into Total Divas once in a while so I’m connected to it, but I’m out of it (at the same time).”
“I still get fan mail and I still get letters,” she added. “You forget the worldwide reach of WWE.”
Trish Stratus was recently interviewed by Alex Obert for Journeyofafrontman.com. The WWE Hall of Famer spoke about a variety of topics, including her longtime friendship with Lita, WWE Tough Enough, turning heel at WrestleMania 20, motherhood and more. Here are some highlights of what she said about:
Her Advice To NXT Women: “They have to challenge themselves and step out of the box every time they go out there. They have to stand out and give the fans somethng that intrigues them and will make them want to see more of them. I think people get used to their go-to moves and like staying in their comfort zone. But, even if its working, you still gotta mix it up. At the end of the day, it’s about going out there and making it the best damn two minutes you’ve ever made for yourself. Also spotting the opportunity to do that is important. us. I think right now is the time we are waiting for that big star from the women to break out.”
Triple H’s Vision For NXT: “Well the thing about Triple H is he’s very smart and is a visionary really. As the person in charge of talent, his job is to recognize their abilities, spot their potential, then provide them with the opportunity that could elevate them that way they can make the most of them in the company. The cool thing is that he looked at the Divas division and he didn’t just see them as women, he saw these amazing athletes and characters that could do well on the show and connect with the fans. That’s what he did, he gave them the opportunity. Once the fans connect with them, they’re golden. It’s cool to see Triple H in this role, it’s no coincidence this vision is coming from a multi-time champion who knows a thing or two about what works in the ring.”
– WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus recently took part in a photo shoot for a future issue of Shespoke Magazine. Trish tweeted the following photos from the shoot.
– WrestleCade announced that WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race has been pulled from their WrestleCade IV event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina due to health issues.
– The Undertaker is featured on the cover of the 2015 WWE Survivor Series DVD, which is scheduled for a December 22nd release. Below is the artwork for the DVD, courtesy of Amazon:
In a blog post on her official website, Trish Stratus gave her thoughts on Paige and Charlotte getting the main event spot on Monday’s RAW.
“I’m just enjoying the fact that we are having conversations about women who are killing it in male dominated sports,” Stratus wrote. “And, to see it cross over to the squared circle like it did last night was incredibly smart timing on WWE’s part. A big congrats to Paige and Charlotte for earning their spot in the main event. A well-deserved accomplishment that they both proved to be ready for.”
The WWE Hall of Famer went on to say the Divas and the fans are both ready for WWE’s top female talent to headline a PPV.
“Next, it’s time for us to see ladies on the current roster get a main event spot on a PPV card – it’s clear they’re ready, and so are we. Besides, putting their top athletes into the main event spot is what WWE does, gender shouldn’t be a factor.
Here’s to more kick assery in and out of the ring, and to more ladies fighting to show we deserve the same respect, recognition and opportunities as our male counterparts in the same industry. Lord knows we fight/work just as hard for it!”
Trish was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 at the age of 38, making her the youngest inductee ever.
– Content featuring Hulk Hogan has returned to the WWE Network after the organization removed references to the legendary wrestler from its various platforms when he was fired and blacklisted on July 24, 2015.
Hulk Hogan Unreleased from 2009, the WWE Rivalries episode on his feud with Roddy Piper and episodes of WrestleMania Rivalry (Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, Hogan vs. The Rock and The Mega Powers Explode) are available to watch again. Episodes of the animated series Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling were not added back though.
– The second season of WWE Rivalries premieres tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. with an episode centered on the storied rivalry between Trish Stratus and Lita.
The synopsis for the episode reads, “Two women revolutionize sports entertainment and raise the bar for WWE’s growing Diva’s Division en route to Hall of Fame careers.”
Stratus commented on the episode on her official website, TrishStratus.com.
“Amy and I have always felt our rivalry was special,” she said. “It was something we felt in our chemistry in the ring — there was an intangible feeling from the crowd whenever we faced off. I can’t wait to see our story unfold on the Network.”
WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus is once again teasing that she wants to get back in the ring and team with fellow Hall of Famer Lita in a match against the Bella Twins.
Later this year, Topps will release “WWE Undisputed”, a high-end product that that will include one autograph per package of cards. Among the prototype images Topps released was a “booklet” card (a double wide card) containing the signatures of Trish Stratus and Lita on one side, and Nikki and Brie Bella on the other.
Trish Stratus commented about the booklet and teased a possible match between the two teams.
“You know, I gotta hand it to Topps. For months, during the Team Bestie Tour, Amy and I heard so many questions about ‘Besties vs. Bellas. This preview of what it would look like if we squared off in a tag team match certainly has me thinking…”
This isn’t the first time that Stratus has hinted that Team Bestie could be reuniting against the Bellas. Earlier this year, Trish told The Miami Herald:
“I don’t mind an easy win. I think the idea is interesting. ‘Team Bestie’ is up for anything. If the fans want it, who knows? When Amy [Lita] and I were working against each other, we were having fantastic matches because we knew each other’s motions and body movements. I think as a team we could utilize that same chemistry, but channel it in a different way.”
– After Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings went off the air, Seth Rollins attacked Dean Ambrose from behind while Ambrose was calling out Bray Wyatt. Rollins cut a promo about being the man in WWE and went to Pedigree Ambrose, but it was blocked and Ambrose nailed him with Dirty Deeds to end the show.
– WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus tweeted the following about Tough Enough winner Sara Lee and the Divas Revolution, questioning why Natalya hasn’t been involved in the movement:
– Variety reports that Sunday’s season finale of The Rock’s “Ballers” on HBO averaged 1.43 million viewers, down from last week’s 1.57 million. Ballers was HBO’s highest-rating comedy series of this decade. The Rock tweeted:
– WWE Diva and Total Divas star Alicia Fox is scheduled to appear on two episodes of the SyFy television series “Dominion.” The WWE Diva will be appearing on the July 8th and July 16th episodes of the show.
– In addition to the highlights we posted earlier today, during an interview with Female First, WWE Diva Brie Bella revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes note about WrestleMania. According to the Total Divas star, there was talk of having Trish Stratus and Lita vs. The Bella Twins at WrestleMania. Bella noted that she would “love” if it happened, and noted that “it could happen.”
– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which is available right now, features an interview with actor Scott Baio. You can download the show at PodcastOne.com.
– WWE Tough Enough coaches Booker T, Lita and Billy Gunn break down week two of the show in the video featured below.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus carried the torch for the Pan Am Games in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada last week. Below are some photos of Trish at the event.
NXT Diva Alexa Bliss recently spoke with 614Columbus.com to promote this week’s NXT live event in her hometown. Below are some highlights from the interview.
On what she’s learned about wrestling that she didn’t know before entering the business: “When I watching wrestling, I watched it for more of the moves and to see the drama of the show, but when you actually start wrestling, there’s so much that goes into it. It’s an artform. It’s a lifestyle, it’s an art that you have to master and there’s just so much to learn. You can do it for years and years and years, and still learn new things every single day. It’s seriously one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever participated in…[getting started] I had no idea what to expect. It was like, ‘Whoa, this is all happening so fast.’ I get down here. My first day, I watch practice. My second day, I learn how to do bumps [Ed. note: falling correctly to limit injuries]. I just remembered watching wrestling thinking, ‘I wonder if that ring really is as hard as it looks.’ It is. [laughs] It really is. It’s not soft. I remember taking bumps and being like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I called my mom. I was laying on a bed of ice telling her how much pain I was in. I was just like, ‘My body is not prepared for this, and she’s like, ‘Well, you wanted to be a Diva!’ [laughs].”
On saying she emulates Rey Mysterio and who else she has studied: “Trish Stratus for sure. I really liked watching her. Me and my family loved the Hardyz and Lita. I tried to have a little bit of snappiness to my moves like Lita did, but mostly, I really liked watching Rey and how he moved because of his size. I knew if I ever wanted to do this, I was probably not going to be the tallest gal or the biggest one in the ring. I really looked up to Trish because she was also a smaller framed girl. I believe my size actually helps me because I like to go for the element of surprise [Laughs] where people don’t expect much of me because of my size and stature. I like to shock people as well with the over-the-top personality.”
On why she chose pro wrestling instead of a sports or entertainment field: “It was because I felt like I was kind of at home. [Wrestling] was something that me and my family always got together and bonded over, so when the opportunity came, I was like, ‘That’s what I should be doing.’ If any other opportunity like acting comes along, that’s great, but as soon as I saw this opportunity, I was like, ‘That’s what I’m meant to do.’ All of my cheerleading and gymnastics and bodybuilding and training prep have prepared me for what I truly believe in my heart was this.”
– WWE officials have begun planting seeds for a possible Triple H vs. Seth Rollins feud.
As seen Monday on Raw, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon threw a celebratory party for WWE World Champion Seth Rollins. During “Architect of a Dream,” Triple H said he sees the reflection of himself in Rollins. Between that line and Rollins adopting the Pedigree, there is talk of the two WWE Superstars clashing in the future (according to Dave Meltzer in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter).
– Samoa Joe appears on the This is Awesome Wrestling Show to talk about his debut in NXT, whether he will appear on Raw or SmackDown, leaving TNA Wrestling, his current state of mind, touring the independent circuit and more. The audio interview is available here.
– Former WWE Divas Ivory, Lita, Molly Holly, Trish Stratus and Victoria reunited on Saturday in Wilmington, North Carolina at Master of Ring Entertainment’s “Lasting Legacy: A Tribute To Women In Wrestling” event.
WWE Hall Of Fame Diva — and along with Amy “Lita” Dumas — one-half of “Team Bestie,” Trish Stratus, recently spoke with Newsday about her friendship with Dumas and nearly going down the Women’s MMA path years ago.
Below are some highlights from the interview:
On being part of “Team Bestie” with Lita: “Ever since the induction, I think people have been keen on seeing us aligned because all these years they saw us fighting each other. So, now the Trish fans and the Lita fans are kind of united, I guess you could say. Whereas before there were distinct sides.
“Fans really dug it, so we turned it into a little thing and booked the ‘Team Bestie Tour.’ We started our first tour last year. We hit the road and started doing conventions and signings together, and people really loved it — and so did we. I hadn’t really done the circuit in a while because I had been focusing on my business and my family, so I hadn’t had a chance to get on the road and get with the fans.”
On training Muay Thai in Thailand several years ago and nearly pursuing MMA: “I had a fight with one of their prizefighters there,” Trish said. “It was a pretty intense fight. I remember thinking, ‘Ma, I could pick this up and pursue this.’ Of course, it kicked in afterward, ‘Where do I do this?’ It wasn’t really like it is now, where MMA competition for women is more accessible.”
“I was thinking about it, yeah. I think I would have been pretty good at it, I’ve been good at most physical things I’ve taken on, like any sport, and I know I have a fighter in me.”
– WWE Hall Of Famer Amy “Lita” Dumas mentioned during her “#AskLita” segment on the WrestleMania 31 Kickoff Show that she and fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus have been in discussions with WWE about a possible show of their own on the WWE Network.
– WrestleMania 31 featured several title changes on Sunday night. Seth Rollins cashed in his Money In The Bank briefcase to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion after pinning Roman Reigns following a Curb Stomp. Daniel Bryan won the ladder match to become the new WWE Intercontinental Champion, and John Cena handed Rusev his first loss via pinfall to become the new WWE United States Champion.
You can read our detailed WrestleMania 31 results by clicking here.
– As reported earlier this week, WWE is looking at bringing some legends back for a match at next year’s WrestleMania 32 pay-per-view to help fill Cowboys Stadium and set the all-time attendance record. Today, WWE’s official website is running a poll asking fans which legend they would like to see have one more match at WrestleMania. The options are Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Bill Goldberg, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Batista, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Vince McMahon, Lita, Trish Stratus or The Dudley Boyz.
With over 2,000 votes cast as of this writing, Stone Cold is leading the pack with 30 percent of the vote. Trailing Austin are Goldberg (21%), Shawn Michaels (13%) and Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy, both of whom have eight percent of the votes. You can vote on the poll at WWE.com.
– The latest WWE Superstar workout video released by WWE features WrestleMania 31 headliner Roman Reigns preparing for his WWE World Heavyweight Championship match against Brock Lesnar this Sunday. You can check out Reigns’ WrestleMania workout video below.
– You can expect to see Lana by Rusev’s side when he defends the United States Championship against John Cena this Sunday at WrestleMania 31. Sandra Gray, a seamstress for WWE, mentioned on Twitter that she was making an outfit for “The Ravishing Russian” for the event.
She was asked on Twitter who she was making gear for the event and responded “stardust goldust Lana dolph.”
Lana has not appeared on television since the March 9 episode of Raw as she’s been off filming WWE Studios’ new film, Interrogation with WWE Hall of Famer Edge.
– Due to the recent death of her father, Trish Stratus will not be traveling to California for this weekend’s WrestleMania festivities. She was scheduled to appear at WrestleCon on Friday and Saturday and at WrestleMania Axxess on Sunday.
Due to her father passing away @trishstratuscom has informed us she will not travel to California and will not be @wrestlecon
– WWE noted on RAW that the new Immortals mobile video game was the #1 iPad game during its opening weekend. They announced last week that the game had 2.7 million downloads through that first weekend.
– WWE Hall of Famers Trish Stratus and Lita are continuing their “Team Bestie Tour” with a live appearance on May 23rd during the Women In Pro Wrestling Fan Expo at the Coastline Convention Center in Wilmington, NC. For tickets, visit TrishStratus.com.
– WWE fans who took advantage of the free WWE Network month in November but did not renew are able to get this month for free. Also, users previously canceled their subscriptions are also allowed to sign up for the free month.
– WrestlingDVDNews.com has released the following clip of Dean Ambrose talking about his experience working with The Undertaker from WWE’s upcoming “Destruction of The Shield” DVD and Blu-ray that comes out on February 17th:
The following are highlights of a new WWE.com Q&A with NXT Diva Carmella:
On being a fan of Miss Elizabeth: “When I was a little girl, I loved Miss Elizabeth. I would dress up in my old dance costumes and my dad would carry me around on his shoulder. I thought I was a true Diva. Sometimes the craziest dreams actually turn into reality and I truly feel blessed for this opportunity.”
On her dream match: “My dream match would be with Trish Stratus. She was the epitome of a Diva and someone I looked up to as a little girl. Although she started as a fitness model, she didn’t let that hold her back. She was willing to work hard and wasn’t afraid to take risks, which is something I think we have in common. It would be an absolute honor and dream come true to step in the ring with her.”
On her plans to win the NXT Divas Championship in 2015: “I’m headed straight for the top of the NXT Divas division. Although my road to NXT might have been different than the other Divas, I’m here to work. I put 100 percent into everything I do, and I won’t quit until I reach the top. Plus, I think we can all agree that the NXT Women’s Championship will look much more fabulous around my waist.”
The following are highlights of a new Turnbuckle Weekly interview with Trish Stratus:
On current state of WWE Divas: “Right now you see the girls with the girls, which is fine, but you can only do so much with the same characters. Unfortunately, they don’t have super developed characters at the moment… The potential is there because there’s some great workers. That’s what we had at the moment things shifted for us. We had the right things.”
Ribs back in the day: “I wish I had a juicy answer. I really don’t. So boring! I’m going have to make something up. Me and (Lita) discussed this other day. I was like, ‘I really have nothing.’ There was just that phase with us girls, as boring as it may sound and not Total Divas episode worthy, we were all just pretty cool all of us. We were really great friends… We were creating something special with the women’s division… There wasn’t much ribbing going on and I’m glad because it was nice. It was a really nice environment.”
Being in Gridlocked with Danny Glover: “Such a gentleman and so sweet. He’s a little bit older now… he reminded me of the wrestlers where you go backstage and wrestlers are getting up there and they’re just sort of keeping to themselves and a bit quiet and they don’t look as alive as you remember them looking. And the minute they get in the ring, or in Danny Glover’s case, the minute they call action this man came alive and oozed charisma… He was amazing. He was really great about encouraging everyone and “great job kids!” Because a lot of the (actors) on the set were younger than him. He was like, ‘great job kids and thank you so much everybody.’ He’s such a great guy.”
– Paul Heyman’s Heyman Hustle has published exclusive photos of WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus’ recent appearance at the Wizard World Hamilton Comic Con event. Needless to say, she’s looking better than ever.
– With WWE SummerSlam 2015 taking place from the “NY/NJ” area, the Wrestling Observer reports that WWE is expected to announce a major Los Angeles-based pay-per-view at the December 30th live event from the Staples Center.
– WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler indicated on Wednesday that United Airlines still has not returned his luggage, including his Intercontinental Championship belt. He tweeted:
update: still no bag or contact. bought new clothes & supplies just to go to work! lose my number @united#PRAYFORDOLPHsbag
The following are highlights of a new Turnbuckle Weekly interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus:
On ribs back in the day: “I wish I had a juicy answer. I really don’t. So boring! I’m going have to make something up. Me and (Lita) discussed this other day. I was like, ‘I really have nothing.’ There was just that phase with us girls, as boring as it may sound and not Total Divas episode worthy, we were all just pretty cool all of us. We were really great friends… We were creating something special with the women’s division… There wasn’t much ribbing going on and I’m glad because it was nice. It was a really nice environment.”
On being in the movie “Gridlocked” with Danny Glover: “Such a gentleman and so sweet. He’s a little bit older now… he reminded me of the wrestlers where you go backstage and wrestlers are getting up there and they’re just sort of keeping to themselves and a bit quiet and they don’t look as alive as you remember them looking. And the minute they get in the ring, or in Danny Glover’s case, the minute they call action this man came alive and oozed charisma… He was amazing. He was really great about encouraging everyone and “great job kids!” Because a lot of the (actors) on the set were younger than him. He was like, “great job kids and thank you so much everybody.” He’s such a great guy.”
On the current state of the WWE Divas: “Right now you see the girls with the girls, which is fine, but you can only do so much with the same characters. Unfortunately, they don’t have super developed characters at the moment… The potential is there because there’s some great workers. That’s what we had at the moment things shifted for us. We had the right things.”
The following are highlights of a new Main Event Radio interview with Trish Stratus:
Transitioning from Fitness to Pro Wrestling: “In fitness you’re training for asthetics to look good and to sculpt your body a certain way. In wrestling you’re training to perform. In fitness I was traveling all over the world but in wrestling it was 300 days a year, so it was a little bit of an adjustment. But I loved it, the challenge, taking in new things and taking in a new industry altogether. I’m kind of like a tomboy so a lot of the sports played – varsity hockey and soccer. I was kinda known as the goon on the team so I was used to being rough and able to take it. I used to wrestle with my cousins when I was a kid. When I first started, I had my share of bruises and my moments where I thought this is tougher than I thought but I loved it, embraced it and looked forward to the challenge.”
Working with Test and Albert as “T&A”: “They were awesome. Test, God bless him, was actually a jerk to me. He was pretty mean to me, was giving me tough love at the beginning. He made me prove myself first. Albert was amazing, great friend, and still a great friend. They gave me the opportunity to be by their side. I really got to learn front row. Take it all in, see the reactions, the mannerisms and all these little things that makes a good performance and got to use these things when I got to be on the other side of the ropes.”
Main Eventing an episode of Monday Night Raw: “Completely an honor to be able to have that spot. We both arrived and couldn’t believe it; it was like we’re WHAT tonight! We knew this was our chance to prove that the women could hang with the boys. We worked just as hard as they did, the fans embraced it. We came back to big applause from our co-workers which meant a lot. I’m very blessed to have the career I did and have the people that I worked with to support the career I did. It’s not a one-man show. It takes two to tango and it takes even more to put on a wrestling production. I’m just so grateful for all the people I was surrounded with.”
WWE Hall of Fame Induction: “Just an honor. You’re being recognized by your peers; your colleagues. Going in as the youngest was nice instead of hustling and bustling being an old bird coming up onto the stage. It was nice to be in my prime. And we represented the modern day divas, [Lita] this year and me last. I’m curious to see who they will choose next. A huge honor.”
Thoughts on Total Divas: “I enjoy the show. I think it’s great. I enjoy watching the drama just like you do. It’s a reality show. We are glued to it to watch things unfold. It’s enough of a glimpse into the wrestling world without too much to give our secrets away so I appreciate that.”
If she is pondering an in-ring return: “Every time I have returned it’s been on the basis that the door is never closed. If some awesome opportunity pops up and it sounds fun and challenging and it’s something I haven’t done before. That’s kind of how each thing has happened. I have a great relationship with WWE and we’re always chatting ideas. You never know, retirement is used very loosely in the wrestling world. There are lots of great workers right now. Seeing Brie and Stephanie in there a couple of weeks ago made me kind of excited again. So we’ll see what happens. You know if that Stephanie keeps up her ways there is one woman that I know can put her in her place, just saying…me!”
Former WWE Diva Trish Stratus recently spoke with Slam! Wrestling and revealed that Bully Ray was one of the people considered as the person who would induct her into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
“I think fans would be surprised to know that Bubba Ray Dudley [TNA’s Bully Ray] was on the list,” said Trish. “He’s on it because he was kind of giving me a trust/tough love when I first came in. But once I proved myself to him, he really opened up and was really kind and giving and would advise me on a lot of things.”
Stratus continued, “So when we finally worked together, once he saw that I was willing to take the table and I used to tell him: ‘Don’t protect me, don’t go easy on me, I just want to do it and do it good and make the fans proud,’ and he appreciated that. So we’ve became really close friends and we had a great relationship and he really helped me a lot.”
The following are highlights of a new Slam! Wrestling interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus:
Her relationship with Lita and making appearances together: “It’s great any time I get to spend time hanging out with Amy. We have to work at (scheduling things), but in some ways it can be easy. She can say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this project coming up, so I’m going to swing through Toronto for a couple of days on my way there.’ In fact, we just baptized (Stratus’ son) Max about a month ago, and (Amy) came in to Toronto for that.”
“We have so much that we can relate to each. It’s nice that we were able to stay friends beyond (wrestling). It’s funny, because we’re total opposites in a lot of ways. On paper, you’d never think that we would hang out together. But we lived so much of our lives together on the same path — we were in the trenches together, from the beginning all the way through the end when we both retired — that we just stayed in touch.”
The movie Gridlocked that comes out this month: “It was just an amazing opportunity. Acting wasn’t something that I was necessarily actively pursuing, but I always said that if a good project landed on my desk, I’d certainly consider it. I had taken a break (from acting) after my last movie (2012’s Bounty Hunters) to focus more on my business and my brand. Then after a few months, I was meeting with an agent, and thought, ‘Yeah, let’s see what’s out there.’ Then suddenly I got this opportunity. They were filming Toronto, it was an action movie, which is a natural fit for me. I believe it was the universe saying, ‘Yep, here’s something amazing for you.'”
“I’m very proud of what we did with Bounty Hunters, and it was a great vehicle for me as my first film, but I’d say that the things that were missing in that one, we got to have in this one. With a smaller independent film, you don’t necessarily have the time to shoot it, the budget for giant explosions and extravagant set pieces. If you saw Bounty Hunters, you may have noticed that even though I got beaten up a lot, I didn’t spill a single drop of blood. I remember we were doing a panel, it may even have been at Fan Expo, and someone asked why there was no blood. The producer joked that, ‘Well… blood’s expensive.’ So I got to bleed in this movie. You know you’re in the big leagues when you can bleed.”
The recent feud between Brie Bella and Stephanie McMahon: “I texted Stephanie and told her, ‘Girl, you’re looking good — great to see you out there again.’ She was freaking out over not having worked for so long. But she looked fantastic. I love watching Stephanie, and I love how she’s come out to help build Brie Bella by putting her in this program. And I think Brie did an excellent job — she’s a great character, and a great person, and great for the product as well. It’s tons of pressure to work with the boss, and (you have) to be your best every week. If you’re given the opportunity, and you come through, that’s great. That’s the kind of challenge I love.”
