Emily Bett Rickards Shines As The Great Mildred Burke In 'Queen of the Ring' [Exclusive] (2025)

Most ardent wrestling fans have at the very least heard the name Mildred Burke, even if they are not intimately familiar with her rise to fame in the 1930's, 40's and 50's.

Many casual members of the wrestling audience may not know who she is at all, or the impact she had on the business outside of what they remember hearing during her 2016 legacy induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don't feel bad. As time marches on, history can sometimes be left behind or forgotten entirely. The story of Mildred Burke is thankfully getting its much deserved and long overdue spotlight this weekend with the release of Queen of the Ring.

The big-screen adaption of Jeff Leen’s biography by the same name stars Emily Bett Rickards, of Arrow fame, as 'The Kansas Cyclone' Mildred Burke, the multi-time Women's World Champion who became the first ever million-dollar female athlete in history. And doing so during a period of time when women's wrestling was illegal throughout much of the country.

"She was just such an amazing woman," Producer Aimee Schoof told The Takedown on SI."I just love her story of empowerment and her tenacity. Her becoming an amazing entrepreneur in this business, which is now a billion dollar business, that story was one that I was super excited to tell."

Unfamiliar with the wonderful world of professional wrestling prior to landing the the role of Mildred Burke, star Emily Bett Rickards immediately began to dig up every bit of information she could find on this powerful woman that she had no idea even existed before the script found its way to her inbox.

Even the film's director, avid wrestling fan Ash Avildsen, was unfamiliar with the work of Mildred Burke prior to signing on with the project.

"I think she deserves to be remembered. She might have... fallen into the dark holes of history somewhere," Emily Bett Rickards told The Takedown. "I thought it was a disservice that I didn't know who she was. She was a woman who really forwarded women's empowerment, women's wrestling for sure. But she believed that femininity and strength coexist, and not only that, they make each other stronger. And she really believed in this force of equality."

Like any great wrestling show, Queen of the Ring follows numerous storylines surrounding Mildred Burke that are beautifully interwoven throughout its 2h 13m runtime. Her estranged relationship with her manager and husband Billy Wolfe, raising a son while living a life on the road, and fighting for the equality and legality of women’s professional wrestling across the nation.

The source material for the movie was vast and the original script was much longer, as was the first cut of the film, according to producer Aimee Schoof.

"We shot a lot of it, and we just tried to keep as much in as we possibly could. It is a big story and we wanted to try to get as much on the page or on the screen as possible. And it was tricky. We spent a good amount of time in the editing room, to find that happy balance."

Where the film really finds its soul is in the underlying story arc of the price that Mildred was willing to pay to make her dreams become a reality.

On the surface, Burke's life was one of fame and fortune, but beyond the ring she was locked into an abusive partnership with her husband and wrestling promoter Billy Wolfe, portrayed in Queen of the Ring by Josh Lucas.

"Billy Wolfe was violent. He was manipulative and really didn't have her best interests at heart, and he was trying to actively bury her," Rickards said. "Being in a marriage with him was a sacrifice, but that was the only way she knew how to be in business with him."

Strength was a defining characteristic for Mildred Burke, both inside and out. Her muscular physique was second to none in women's professional wrestling during her heyday. Even most of the male competitors who stepped into the ring with Burke found themselves to be no match. She is said to have beaten hundreds of men who attempted to pin her shoulders to the mat.

Her WWE Hall of Fame bio notes a rumor that the Los Angeles Police Department once posted photos of Burke around the desks of their officers to motivate them to step back into the gym.

In order to transform her body to properly portray such an imposing figure on the big screen, Rickards underwent months of rigorous strength training.

"A lot of slow, heavy weights and a lot of protein and no cardio. And as I got bigger, the workouts got bigger and changed. I had two trainers, Thomas Taylor and Dr. Diego Botezelli back in Vancouver, who honestly made my body. It was a full team of people who really helped me get into that type of shape, because that is not my body. That is definitely Mildred's (laughs)."

Once Rickards had the look of a professional wrestler, it was time for her to step into the ring for real. The cast of Queen of the Ring spent three weeks working with the talent and trainers at Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, Kentucky, the city where most of the movie was filmed.

Learning the ropes in such a short amount of time was something Rickards described as a fast-paced, adrenaline filled process. And a challenge she was ready to take head on.

When they head to theaters this weekend, viewers will find themselves enamored with Emily's performance. Never once does she feel out of place, especially in the ring. She was able to fill the massive wrestling boots of Mildred Burke with distinction and grace. An accomplishment that Rickards says would not have been possible without her opponents.

Eagle-eyed wrestling fans will notice a few familiar faces from today's era that have stepped back in time to bring the women who came before them back into the spotlight.

Naomi, Mickie James and Dr. Britt Baker were all cast in supporting roles. Those who enjoyed the brief run of the Showtime series Heels (now a Netflix property), will be happy to see Kelli Berglund return to the ring as Nell Stewart.

Burke's two biggest rivals in the film (Clara Mortensen and June Byers) are brought back to life by Toni Rossall, reigning AEW Women's Champion Timeless Toni Storm, and Kailey Farmer, who's also known for her work in AEW and The NWA as 'The Brickhouse' Kamille.

"The pros are the reason that this looks so good," Rickards said. "Toni and Kamille, [Al Snow and Doug Basham] and everybody at OVW who let me slam them incessantly until I got it right. Truly everyone who trained me, [they're] the reason it looks good. When Kamille and Toni don't look like they're in the lead, they are. They're really designing it and that's their amazing training put to work."

Reviews for Queen of the Ring have been overwhelmingly positive, dating back to its debut last year at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Rickards says she's felt the support of the wrestling community, which as anyone reading this knows, can be tough to garner.

Nothing may top the love she's received from the family of Mildred Burke, who have overwhelmingly embraced Rickards' work in bringing her story to the mainstream spotlight.

"Really a lot of warmth and sharing stories. And there's no other word for it really, than just to give the blessing and for us to feel connected in such a deep sense for not knowing one another. It was truly special. We're so blessed."

Rickards told The Takedown that it's been very exciting to see this project come together and she's grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Mildred Burke on a deeper level.

Queen of Ring hits theaters nationwide this Friday, March 7.