Having a Lunatic’s Dream: Emily Bett Rickards on “Queen of the Ring”

Emily Bett Rickards plays the title role in “Queen of the Ring,” based on the true story of Mildred Burke, the pioneering wrestler who began her “not fixed, scripted” fights when women were still banned from wrestling in every state. She became a world champion and the first woman athlete to earn $1 million.

How did you first hear about Millie and about her story?

The first time I’d ever heard about her was when I was reading the script. I knew nothing of her. And I think that that is such an important part of this film is that I didn’t know her story. A lot of people don’t know her story. And so, we’re really excited to get her out into the world. [Director] Ash Alvidsen sent the script to my team. They thought it was really special, sent it to me and said, “We can’t tell you anything about it. You just have to read it.” From the moment I read about her, I was intrigued. I went to the deep corners of the internet, searching for pictures and information on her before I even had the job.

What kind of research did you do about her and about her era?

It was very fun because I asked myself, “What was she filling her head with?” So I got watch all the movies that she would have had access to. Who would have inspired her? What kind of music she would have just been around, let alone what she would have been a fan of first in Coffinville, Kansas, and then all over the States for that period of time. And then there was this book about her, Sex, Muscles and Diamonds written by Jeff Lean, which was the basis for Ash’s script. I devoured that at a rapid pace and finished it and then kept it as my Bible through the filming. I had a lot of, a lot of fun getting to know her. I was so fortunate that she liked to be in the spotlight. So there was a lot of information on her.

Once she became successful, she wore very beautiful and elegant gowns. Was she trying to send a message with her wardrobe?

It was definitely intentional. She was a pioneer in the way of saying you can be feminine and strong, you can be feminine and tough, you can be glamourous and scrappy.  You are all things and we need to celebrate all things. That was such a part of her strength and also what made her so endearing. It was also what made her controversial. She was dangerous to the people that didn’t want her wrestling. It was illegal throughout the country when she started and then many states as she continued on and that’s really just about controlling women. Mildred was like, “Well, we’re gonna break through that.”

I appreciated the way you reflected Mildred’s athleticism not just in the fight scenes but in the way you stood and walked. How did you develop that?

My acting coach Andrew Baccaro and I were talking in early days, before I had put on the muscle yet. I was training but it took a while to put on. I was uncomfortable. I was like, “I can’t find what this is like. What is the scene?” and he said to me, You don’t have her muscle yet so you actually don’t have her spine yet.” Part of putting on all that muscle made me feel where her center was. Her torso felt a lot different than mine, so she walked a lot differently than I do.

It wasn’t until six months after filming where I had my hands on my hips and I was like, “Oh, that’s finally me again.” Putting all that muscle on really helps you know how somebody walks through the world. She definitely had a more rigid stance than I do. There was a. constant step up in the face of adversity, which took a lot of strength and I think that really helped having all the muscle and having that spine and that chest forward posture. You know, she was just ready.

In the film they talk about telling a story in the ring with the two archetypes. Do you think of yourself as a heel or a face?

I’d like to be a heel, but I’m pretty sure I’m a face.

I’m always interested when an actor has to develop a relationship with a child actor, especially one who’s still a baby.

The baby is Ash’s son, so mom was nearby.

It’s very touching in the film that even though the fights, at least as scripted, are intensely competitive, out of the ring the women were extremely supportive, in part due to Mildred’s leadership and her commitment to them. How do you develop that chemistry so that it comes across on screen?

It was natural for us. There was so much support within that group of women. I’m so lucky to have been surrounded by them and to be a part of their team because from the moment we started it was “What can I do?” “How do we make this better?” Cracking jokes when things were getting tough. The camaraderie was great. And we were all filming away from home. We were all in a wrestling ring doing stuff we’d never done before. And we all love acting. Also, we were all playing these real people so we all had something to talk about about these women we admired so much. I miss Mildred. There’s a part of me that aches while speaking like I’m speaking about my grandmother. So that connected us as well.

It was so important to Mildred because Mildred knew, not just cerebrally, but in her heart, that to move forward, we all need the power of togetherness. There is no other option. And it’s not just for self-betterment. It’s because we’re stronger together. And I think that that really is a part of who she was because it’s about being the change you want to see in the world, not just being an individual.

Mildred was born before women even had the vote. How was she able to see the possibilities in a time when women had so few options?

I’ve read a lot of what she wrote about herself. And these are her words. She describes herself as “having a lunatic’s dream.” She said, “I had no reason to believe that I could do this. I had no training. I had no past experience. I just had a dream.” She had this innate drive to make what was wrong right. And I think that that’s something we could learn a lot from now.

Throughout the film, everyone emphasizes a wrestling match is a story. Are there similarities between a wrestling match and telling a story as a movie?

Yes, just scene by scene as an actor or in the ring. Improv is so important for actors because the best part about acting is when you’re surprised, like your nervous system is so surprised by the sort of transference of energy with your scene partner. We talk about flow state and whatever your passion is but there’s also this global touch with humanity that you’re absorbing on such a deep level.It’s scripted but it’s alive. Wrestling such a nucleus of that, like a petri dish of that because it’s so alive that as an audience member you’re on the edge of your seat. They know what they’re doing but it’s a constant work of art. there might be an outcome that’s a little planned but how are you going to get there? It’s more about the journey, and that’s a great lesson for life too.

What do you want people to talk about in the car on the way home from seeing the movie?

Mildred, just Mildred. I encourage people to go read the book that Jeff Lean wrote, because we could only fit so much into the story. Even Ash will say a lot of what we shot ended up on the cutting room floor, so there’s a lot. more to know about her. So talk about Mildred and then talk about your own dreams. You have the power to be the change that you want to be.