Emily Bett Rickards knew very little about professional wrestling before signing on to play one of its most important female trailblazers, Mildred Burke, in the biopic Queen of the Ring. But after immersing herself in its history and transforming her body for the role,

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.

The same can’t be said about the big screen. With scattered exceptions – “ . . . All the Marbles” (1981), “Fighting with My Family” (2019), “Racket Girls” (1951), and “Below the Belt” (1980), which features an extended cameo by then-retired wrestler Mildred Burke as a trainer — there’s generally been a dearth of films featuring women wrestlers.

Mildred Burke put women’s wrestling on the map and became the first woman athlete to make a million. Yet she’s virtually unknown. With “Queen of the Ring,” a warts and all biopic in theaters

"I can't sing and I can't dance," Mildred Burke tells her future manager, husband, business partner (and later ex-husband and rival) Billy Wolfe. "But I can tell a story and beat some ass." What a story,

Wrestling biopics, while rare, are not new. Late 2023 saw the release of The Iron Claw, about the famed Von Erich family. That story is beyond tragic, but although Queen of the Ring does have some sad moments, it's also a story of unwavering passion. As the final credits roll, you're going to feel a renewed strength thanks to such a powerful icon.

Queen of the Ring uses the story of Mildred Burke to expertly explore women's pro wrestling in a time when they weren't allowed in the sport.