WWE: Paige turned wrestling ‘into something COMPLETELY different’, Tessa Blanchard says

Blanchard, who is herself a professional wrestler, was the stunt double for Florence Pugh – who played Paige – in Fighting With My Family.

That film showed Paige’s rocky ascent to star status, and Blanchard has credited her with ultimately helping to change the field.

Speaking in a featurette about the making of the film, Blanchard said: “It’s evolving – especially women’s wrestling.

“It’s turning into something completely different and Paige helped that happen.

“Back in the day, you didn’t really have to get in there and fight like the guys.

“But we can – and now we’re given the opportunity to.”

Also speaking the clip, seen above, Paige herself said: “Before I came, it was mostly models and beautiful, stunning women.

“I came in as the gothic preacher, like, argh!”

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Paige, born Saraya-Jade Bevis, is a two-time Divas Champion and was the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion.

Fighting With My Family shows her struggle to fit in with other wrestlers in Florida, after finding community success in Norwich.

It was a big success: it earned a 92% approval rating from critics and took $40 million at the box office – from an $11 million budget.

Pugh told The Playlist of the role: “It was terrifying. If it had been a boxing film, I think would have been less scared because I know more about boxing as a sport.

“Wrestling is a genre and a world I knew nothing about.

“I realise with wrestling comes a universe where lines are blurred between fandom, fantasy, and reality, and that is very intimidating to step into because it’s something I didn’t understand it until now.

“The physicality of it all is what excites me. I don’t think there was a minute of my childhood where I wasn’t active or fighting with my brother, but nothing prepared me for this type of training.

“Straight away Stephen Merchant is like, ‘Florence I want you to wrestle as much as possible so I can film you in the ring and have it look authentic.’”

Fighting With My Family is out on DVD and Blu-ray now.