Queen Of The Ring: Every Real Life Wrestler Who Appears In The Movie

Jim Cornette Plays the NWA Commissioner

Cornette Is In a Few Important Scenes

Jim Cornette isn't a wrestler exactly, although he has competed in some matches, but you can't tell the history of wrestling without his years as a on-screen manager and a creative force behind the scenes. Cornette has a controversial personality, but he's quite the different person in Queen of the Ring.

Cornette doesn't play a specific person per se, but is cast as the unnamed "NWA Commissioner". He is who Burke and Wolfe first go to when trying to get Mildred in the business beyond carnivals. We later see him at a meeting which involves Vince McMahon Sr. Most of his role comes in the final act's big match, with the NWA Commissioner watching over the action before he must make a crucial decision.

Naomi Is Ethel Johnson

Naomi Filmed Her Role Before Re-Signing With WWE

These days, Naomi is in WWE, having just had a long reign as the Women's Tag Team Champions with Bianca Belair, before Jade Cargill returned to destroy her at Elimination Chamber. However, prior to Naomi returning to WWE, she wrestled by her real name, Trinity Fatu, in TNA. During this time, she filmed a part in Queen of the Ring as Ethel Johnson.

Ethel Johnson debuted as a wrestler in 1951 at just the age of 16 and eventually became the first Black women's champion. In Queen of the Ring, Ethel Johnson and two other Black female wrestlers join Mildred Burke and other white women in their promotion. Among them are Clint Eastwood's daughter, Francesca Eastwood, who plays Mae Young. At the New York City premiere for the film, Naomi appeared with her husband, Jimmy Uso, while wearing a neck brace to sell her injuries from Cargill.

Toni Storm Appears As Clara Mortensen

'Queen of the Ring' Is The Perfect Movie For The AEW Women's Champion

If any current women's wrestler is going to play someone from the 1930s, it has to be Toni Storm, whose Timeless gimmick is modeled after a Hollywood starlet of that era. In Queen of the Ring, Storm plays Clara Mortensen, the dominant women's wrestler of the time, who is billed as the Women's World Light Heavyweight Champion.

Storm shows up in a few key scenes as the first woman Mildred Burke must conquer, a quest that's more difficult because Mortensen refuses to drop he title. Wrestling fans get to see Toni Storm in the ring with the actress in some well-choreographed moments, and although her speaking part isn't a big one, it's fun to hear Storm speak in an American accent.

Kamille Is Mildred Burke's Main Foe, June Byers

Kamille Plays The Biggest Role Of All The Wrestlers

In films, and in wrestling, every hero needs a nemesis. In Queen of the Ring, Mildred Burke finds that in June Byers, played by Kamille. Sadly, for whatever reason, AEW isn't using Kamille at the moment, but she has the biggest role of any wrestler in the entire film.

The first time we meet Kamille as June Byers, it's on the carnival circuit, with Byers being the first woman to take Mildred to the limit. She's also a cheater who isn't afraid to play dirty, unlike the rest of the women, who are fair and support each other. Queen of the Ring's third act centers on the two meeting again, this time at an NWA-sanctioned show. Kamille doesn't speak a lot, but she gets many minutes of screen time and is the central opposing force to Mildred Burke in the last scenes. Kamille and Emily Bett Rickards move seamlessly in the ring together, showing how much time the actress put in to learning the sport, and how talented Kamille is at making someone else look good.