Lana Opens Up About What She Would Be Doing If Not For Professional Wrestling
Photo by Mary Clavering/Young Hollywood/Getty Images
Lana is one of the top female superstars in WWE and has played many roles in the promotion from top heel manager opposite John Cena, to the cheating wife of Rusev, Lana has always displayed versatility.
Now, she is saying that even if she wasn’t in WWE, she would be telling stories through the medium of entertainment, specifically stories about women.
Speaking with Ozy, Lana, real name: CJ Perry, discussed her life before WWE and attempting to make it in Los Angeles as an actress. Lana would call the process a marathon in place of a sprint.
“I would definitely be doing something in entertainment still, I’m sure. I don’t doubt that for a second. Right before my job with WWE I was in LA and I was auditioning, and it was like … you get a job, you get two great jobs and then you don’t really get any. Or you get small, small jobs for the next six months. And it’s just so much of a marathon … entertainment and acting and wrestling and dance. It’s such a marathon. There’s very few Leonardo DiCaprios, and so even a lot of my really great working actor friends, sometimes they might go through a pilot season and book a pilot, or not … These are people that are in movies, big movies.”
Shortly before her WWE journey began, Lana actually gave consideration to becoming a nurse.
“So it’s just given me a really, I guess, maybe a patient way of working in this industry. But right before WWE, I told my parents, I was frustrated with everything. I’m going to go be a nurse. I applied to Santa Monica University or college and I was on the waitlist to be a nurse. Everyone and my entire family thought it was hilarious.No one took me seriously. Of course, I thought it was … I was like, ‘Of course I want to do it’ If I’m determined to do something, I can do anything. And my grandmother was so proud of me because she used to be a nurse. I was just like, look, I mean, what about if I am working regularly, but I don’t have a huge, huge breakout role? What am I going to do when I’m 55, still going out for auditions? Book a guest star here, a guest star there? It’s like you can’t make a living off of that.
“So I was, I don’t know, I would have figured something out. Maybe I would’ve. I don’t know. I’m sure. I always find a way, but I wanted to be in the storytelling business for the rest of my life. So I’m actually thinking about going to school to learn more about directing and producing. I produced some feature films already, but I just love learning, continuing to learn. So if I’m not always going to be in front of the camera, what other stories can I produce and make that are really compelling that I don’t maybe have to necessarily be in front of it, but I can be a part of it?”
Fortunately for Lana, WWE worked out and she was even able to meet her husband, Miro through the pro wrestling business. Now, she can be seen Mondays on Monday Night Raw.
SEE MORE: Naomi Says Nobody Works Harder Than Lana, And ‘That’s Why She Has My Loyalty And My Commitment’