Emily Bett Rickards & Ash Avildsen on Bringing Wrestling Pioneer Mildred Burke to Life in Queen of the Ring

Kyle Meredith sits down with actor Emily Bett Rickards (Arrow) and director/screenwriter Ash Avildsen (Paradise City, American Satan) to talk about their new movie Queen of the Ring. Listen now.

Taking place from the 1930s to the 1950s, the movie tells the story of how professional wrestler Mildred Burke became the first million-dollar female athlete, breaking barriers in a sport where women weren’t even allowed to compete.

Filmed in Louisville, the production leaned on Ohio Valley Wrestling for training, making sure the in-ring action looked just as authentic as Burke’s real-life battles. The movie aims to introduce Burke to a new generation while driving home the reality of women’s ongoing fight for equality in sports.

For wrestling fans, Queen of the Ring also makes a point about Burke’s legacy: “People always ask if this is about the [prominent early female wrestler] Fabulous Moolah,” Avildsen says. “But Moolah never drew the real moolah — Millie did.”

Listen to Emily Bett Rickards and ash Avildsen chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.