Watch movies outside the country with secure Aeroshield Smart DNS
A new documentary chronicling the life and career of the late WWE legend Joanie “Chyna” Laurer will soon premiere on Vice TV. Separate from the network’s acclaimed docuseries Dark Side of the Ring, the solo Chyna doc, dubbed Vice Versa: Chyna, is set to premiere on Thursday, June 17. A new trailer for the two-hour doc has also been released by the network, and you can check it out below.
“Joanie aka Chyna’s meteoric rise and fall is the stuff of Shakespearian drama, but underneath all that flash, she was an intelligent and sensitive person who struggled with addiction,” director Marah Strauch said in a statement. “This documentary will give viewers an intimate and unfiltered view of her personal journey as a pop culture icon and beyond and will compassionately tell the true story of Chyna’s last year of life.”
Prior to her passing, Chyna was working on a separate planned documentary about her attempted comeback to WWE, specifically as a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. Sadly, the women’s wrestling pioneer suddenly died during its production, and the project was left unfinished. Vice Versa: Chyna will include exclusive videos from the last year of Chyna’s life along with salvaged footage from the incomplete documentary.
The documentary is fully authorized by Chyna’s family, and it will include interviews with her sister, Kathy Hamilton, and her mother, Jan LaQue. Her former fiance Sean Waltman, who wrestled in WWE as the 1-2-3 Kid and X-Pac, is featured as well. Various wrestling personalities are among the other interviewees, including Mick Foley, Billy Gunn, and Vince Russo, as is Dr. Drew Pinsky, who worked with Chyna on Celebrity Rehab.
“I participated in this documentary because, as Joanie’s mom, it was important to me to have the opportunity to tell my side of the story,” LaQue said. “Joanie was an awesome human being not only in the ring but, more importantly, beyond the ring. She was a wonderful person. Joanie’s story is important to tell because people should know the vast extent her life’s positive impact had on so many others. Her gentle, loving and caring way was astounding despite the inner grief and sadness she carried at the same time.”
Catherine Whyte, Vice TV’s Executive VP & Head of Production, added: “Vice TV is known for its fearless approach to storytelling and giving voice to stories no one else will. Chyna’s story is so powerful- she was a disruptor and an icon. While some may have prefered Chyna’s last days remain in the past, Vice TV will continue to shine a light on stories others are afraid to tell.”
Known to WWE fans as “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” Chyna was one of the most well-known figures of pro wrestling’s “Attitude Era.” When she was let go by the company under unfortunate circumstances, she struggled with addiction, as was showcased on reality shows like Celebrity Rehab and The Surreal Life. Before her death, she had been pleading for WWE to induct her into the Hall of Fame, but she was never acknowledged again by the company until after her death in 2016.
Vice Versa: Chyna will air on Vice TV on Thursday, June 17 at 9 p.m. EST. Fans can also watch new episodes of the network’s acclaimed documentary series Dark Side of the Ring for more true-life stories documenting pro wrestilng’s darkest moments. This news comes to us from ComicBook.com.
.