WWE
Whether she was working for the WWE or teaching women's empowerment at Gracie Academy, it goes without saying that Eve Torres is no stranger to physicality.
Her athletic background would come in handy when she competes with Jackie Chan in the film Skiptrace, which opens in select theaters and On Demand on September 2nd. The film is already a hit in China, opening at number one with $60 million earlier this summer. Torres filmed her scenes in Beijing and Hong Kong. She found working with the iconic character unrealistic.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” Torres said.
Saban films
“Growing up, I was a big Jackie Chan fan. I arrived on set and was so nervous. I was stressed because I hadn't learned fight choreography. I thought I would learn it a day in advance, maybe even a few hours in advance. That's not how they do it there. The whole time I'm thinking, “Okay, now someone can tell me what we're doing.”
“But because Jackie and the others are so professional and have been doing it for so long, they will often use the props around them. This makes it easier for them to do the choreography on site. They develop it on site, then teach it to you and then you shoot. It was a matter of minutes. That was crazy for me, but you also realize that these are the best people in the game. It was just a great crew to work with. They have the most creative stunt team in the world.”
In the action comedy, she portrays a Russian badass who rolls a bowling ball through an alley, with co-star Johnny Knoxville's head being the target. Audiences may be surprised to hear that Torres has a Russian accent in the film.
“There are people who are dialect coaches there, but they speak Chinese,” Torres said.
“They help Jackie Chan learn English, so they were also trained to help me. It was really fun to play this role. Accents are just fun because they help you get into the character a lot more.”
The former WWE Champion noted that her in-ring history has helped her in more ways than one.
“Timing plays a big role in stunts and fight scenes,” Torres said.
“That’s something you learn in WWE, especially when it’s really character-based matches. It's not just about, “I'm going to fight this person.” It's about thinking about how or why a certain character will fight another character in WWE. I feel like I benefited from it and I feel more comfortable in those scenes. I think you see everything on camera.”
The life of a professional wrestler means being a jack of all trades. This can lead to you gaining a unique skill to succeed in the entertainment industry (cough The Rock). However, for Torres, a film set and a square circle are unique in their own way.
“There's a big difference in WWE between performing in front of thousands of people in an arena and performing in a scene with a camera close-up on your face. Having to make these adjustments through acting classes and the roles I've had, I really enjoy the challenge. It makes a lot of fun.”
One of the most famous roles Torres received was alongside Melissa Benoist in an episode of Supergirl. She portrayed the villainous Maxima in a relatively short fight scene that, however, thrilled fans.
“I think there’s a lot of overlap with wrestling fans and the comic book world,” Torres said.
“It’s all coming together, so it’s fun for me and the viewers to see. The hope is that this will be a recurring role, but we'll see what happens. The great thing about the superhero world is that anything can happen. And you always need a good villain. Hopefully you haven't seen the last of me in Supergirl.
Torres is finding work in Hollywood at a time when she believes women are becoming more common and credible as action stars.
“Angelina Jolie, for example, is a brilliant actress and a beautiful woman,” explains Torres.
“She plays these roles great, but part of you wonders, 'Can she do this?' So in that sense there is a kind of discrepancy. I think what's cool now is that they're starting to bring in more women who can actually do this. Ronda Rousey appears in films and takes on these leading roles. To me it's a great example to believe that they want these kind of women who can really do this. You get to have these dark fights that aren't just flashy camera tricks, but real fights. I think they use a lot more of it in the film.”
The rise of women is also widespread in professional wrestling these days. The term “diva” no longer exists when female competitors are considered superstars just like their male counterparts. It's a moment Torres witnesses with pride.
“It's really exciting for me to watch, but at the same time it's difficult because when I was there, the movement hadn't really started yet,” Torres said.
“It was always there. You saw the women trying to fight and fight. Unfortunately, I didn't get as far there as I would have liked. There was a lot of frustration about it. That was one of the reasons I decided to leave WWE. It's really nice to see this finally happening because as we've seen with Ronda women, they can be a draw in a male-dominated, aggressive sport.
“Women can be a big draw. We can be just as talented, even more talented than men. They can have great matches and be something that both men and women want to see. You don't have to be this novelty. So as a wrestling fan and as a fan of women’s wrestling, it’s really exciting to see this happen and see the women being recognized for their great matches.”
While the 31-year-old enjoyed her run in WWE, she's not expected to return anytime soon.
“I’m sitting back and really happy for the girls there right now,” Torres said.
“I know how much it means to them because I know how much it would have meant to me back then. But now the ship has sailed and I have a 10-month-old child at home. I would have to give up a lot if I went back on tour to have this full-time job again. So I'm immersed in my new life and my new projects. I am happy.”
She will be watching her former WWE colleague in CM. Punk also appears to have moved on and is preparing for his UFC debut. The popular Chicago native steps into the octagon in a debut fight on Sept. 10 at UFC 203 pay-per-view.
“For Punk, I really have nothing but praise for him because it’s one thing to say you want to fight, but it’s another thing to actually do it,” Torres said.
“It takes so much. I know this because my husband trains professional fighters at the highest level every week. I see the sacrifices they make and how hard the training is. It's like nothing else in the world. So it's a real challenge in itself to pull it off.
“For that reason alone, I take my hat off to anyone who puts their body on the line like that to fight in front of the whole world. For this he has all the respect in the world. I'm really excited about the fight and how the training has paid off and how it will turn out. I wish him all the best. I think we'll see how the training works out. I think it’s going to be great.”
Torres and her husband Rener Gracie welcomed their first child, Raeven, last September. Since then, it has been a unique juggling act for the mother and dedicated business women.
“You have this person who comes into your life and changes everything,” Torres said.
“All your priorities will be turned upside down. That's exactly what motherhood is. Here comes this child who is more important than literally anything in your life. Making these adjustments to everything else that is important to you is a difficult thing in the beginning. But you achieve a balance.
“It's important for me to find a balance because I can't be a good mother to my son if I'm not feeling well, happy or have a fulfilling life. Therefore, it is important to me that I feel fulfilled in my career and that I can give back to the community, the world and our company, and that I can spend as much time with him as possible. I think I’ve started to find that balance.”
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