The Tragic Real Life Story of Chyna

The Tragic Real-Life Story of Chyna

The world of professional wrestling is a world of heels and faces — of heroes and villains. But it’s also a world of people, and behind the curtain, things are never quite as they seem. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be discussing the Tragic Real-Life Story of Chyna.

The pro wrestling persona, by design, is often larger than life, an exaggerated expression of our innermost selves. Or perhaps how we’d like to be perceived by the public. Andre the Giant was known as “The Eighth Wonder of the World” during his heyday. So, it just sort of fit that the woman born Joan Marie Laurer would take up the mantle of “Ninth Wonder of the World” when she first hit the pro wrestling scene as Chyna.

Laurer’s early life, by all accounts, was marred by trouble at home. Her parents split up when she was young, and a string of multiple stepparents came in and out of her life. Her birth father had a predisposition towards alcohol. All of this trauma didn’t make the future struggles of Laurer’s life any easier to endure. These included the alleged sexual impropriety of a middle school teacher, body dysmorphia issues, and an eating disorder, all before the young woman even entered high school.

Laurer detailed much of this difficult early life in her autobiography, “If They Only Knew,” while also pointing to bodybuilding as a source of comfort and confidence. Her dedication to physical fitness would remain a stabilizing factor into her adult life, becoming an even larger focus for Joanie after college. Laurer had originally intended to use her education in foreign language as a jumping off point for a career in law enforcement or the FBI. But this never panned out, and Joanie held a large number of odd jobs before she finally decided to jump ship from the bodybuilding scene and try out something new.

It was at this point when Joanie Laurer began transitioning into the life of a professional wrestler, training under the watchful eye of icon Killer Kowalski. One of Laurer’s early ring monikers was “Joanie Lee.” It wasn’t long before the two competing industry giants of the time, WWE and WCW had their eyes on bringing Joanie Laurer into “the business.” Although there are conflicting stories as to how much, if any, of a “bidding war” there was for Laurer during this time, the tapes Joanie had from working with Kowalski definitely helped get her feet into the door.

Like any new job, her character development at WWE was slow at first. “Chyna” debuted essentially as a wordless, physically intimidating bodyguard for D-Generation X. She was usually getting involved in matches but not to the point of being a major in-ring competitor. This all changed when Chyna hit her stride, and gained confidence in the ring, with her work in the squared circle serving as a trailblazing force for females in the industry. Her accolades and accomplishments were many, including being the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble match, the first to compete in the King of the Ring and the first to reach number one contender status for the WWE Championship.

It’s important to note that the landscape for women during this time was NOT the same as it is today. The WWE in particular had a reputation for the overt sexualization of their female talent. Women’s division matches were largely seen as “bathroom break” fodder, as opposed to the must-see, main event status many enjoy today. As a result, the name of Chyna stands alongside others, like Lita and Trish Stratus, as one for change, progression, and acceptance for women’s wrestling within the industry’s culture.

Her landmark reign as the first female Intercontinental Champion cannot be overstated, nor her ability to connect with the audience on an emotional level. Chyna just worked better as a babyface. It tied into Laurer’s naturally sweet disposition and enabled the viewer to care about her storylines. Her on-screen romantic relationship with Eddie Guerrero, in particular, was one that translated well on paper and in the ring, since both performers sold it so well. Meanwhile, Joanie and her DX partner Paul “Triple H” Levesque had been a real-life couple for quite some time. The pair eventually went their separate ways, with Paul going on to marry owner Vince McMahon’s daughter Stephanie. Today, the pair both help run the company’s day-to-day operations as COO and Chief Brand Officer.

Although stories did fly as to how much Joanie and Paul’s split had to do with her eventual departure from the company, Laurer herself told “The Baltimore Sun” that her exit was a mutually agreed decision. This was based on her desire to move into acting. Other sources, such as broadcaster and talent relations expert Jim Ross, pointed to the inability for Joanie and the company to come to financial terms for a new contract.

In hindsight, Chyna’s desire to break into show business was fairly well telegraphed, given her public visibility. She took every opportunity to appear outside of the wrestling ring, taking bit parts in music videos and television. She even appeared on game shows and reality programs such as “The Surreal Life.” A couple of movie jobs would eventually come her way, such as a 2007 co-starring role alongside Anna Nicole Smith for the film “Illegal Aliens.” But Chyna’s intentions on crossing over in a major way seemed outside of her grasp.

In November 2000, she became the second female superstar to pose for Playboy. Chyna went to two separate shoots for the magazine, both of which were incredibly popular with fans well beyond the world of wrestling. Unfortunately, the adult film industry would also be a source of pain for Laurer. In 2004, a tape with former boyfriend Sean “X-Pac” Waltman (also of D-X) was released, reportedly without her consent. Accounts differ as to whether or not profits from the re-edited version, titled “1 Night in China” actually made their way to Laurer per the pair’s agreement with Red Light District Video. What both Chyna and Waltman admit, however, is that their relationship was tumultuous, with Laurer even being arrested for domestic assault in January of 2005.

Just as Chyna’s in-ring work revolutionized the idea of female wrestling during this time, her Playboy pictorials changed the preconceived notions of “beauty.” It also shed light on the judgements women face every day, even in the world of pro wrestling. Chyna’s photos for Playboy were beautiful by any standard and seemed to serve as a point of pride for a woman who suffered with image issues throughout her life. Despite a number of promising years working for TNA and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Chyna struggled with chemical dependency in the years following her departure from WWE.

By this stage in her career, Chyna appeared on more reality T.V. programs, though they were often ones dealing with substance abuse, such as “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.” She revealed more about her dysfunctional home life on these shows. Other public appearances, such as on “The Howard Stern Show,” showcased a Chyna who was visibly struggling with her inner demons. Laurer made headlines again a few years prior to her death with a number of high-profile appearances in adult films. She took on the role of “She-Hulk” for a couple of Marvel XXX parodies. By all accounts, she took the work seriously. However, she would admit in interviews that such a career in sex work was never a part of her plan, but rather something she did after the success of “One Night in China.”

Joan Marie Laurer was found unresponsive at her home in Redondo Beach, California on April 20th, 2016. Her cause of death was ruled as accidental, due to the combination of alcohol and prescription medication. The icon had posted an incoherent video on YouTube just days before her death. Guests at Chyna’s memorial service included many notable names… but not that many wrestlers. Although stars like Rob Van Dam, Melina and more did attend the service, the affair as a whole just makes Chyna’s absence from the WWE’s Hall of Fame all the more painful.

Sure, The Ninth Wonder of the World was inducted in 2019 as a member of D-Generation X. But her influence expands today far beyond that of her stable. Joanie Laurer deserved better. No, CHYNA deserved better. Today, the world of professional wrestling is more inclusive and representative than ever before. It’s a world where women fight and hold the respect of fans and industry alike. But it’s also a world that may have never arrived, were it not for Chyna laying the groundwork. For that we love her. For that we respect her. And for that, we will always miss her.