If there ever was a performer today who was worthy of an Emmy in pro wrestling, it would be “Timeless” Toni Storm. The All Elite Wrestling Women’s Champion is a throwback to a golden age of Hollywood glam when Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, and Marilyn Monroe reigned. This made the 29-year-old Kiwi perfect for Queen of the Ring. In the biopic on the trailblazing Mildred Burke, she played Clara Mortensen opposite Emily Bett Rickards as the titular wrestling legend.
Storm’s masterful transformation into a silver screen starlet made her one of the most popular stars in the business. The former WWE superstar emerged a cornerstone of AEW, becoming the only four-time Women’s Champion in the young company’s history. Outside the theatrics, which includes her doting butler Luther, Storm also shines when the bell rings. Her recent wins over Athena, Mercedes Mone, and Skye Blue were show stealers. The champ’s next defense comes at the All Out pay-per-view on September 20 where she must contend with Jamie Hayter, Kris Statlander and Thekla.
Read our chat with Storm below as the lines are blurred between the “Timeless” persona we see on television and the individual you run into when cameras aren’t rolling.
Ricky Havlik/AEW
You’ve been on quite a run with your fanbase continuing to grow. How would you describe the connection you built with the audience?
“Timeless” Toni Storm: I just have such an adoring public. The fans really appreciate me, and I have always felt that from them. I started doing this at a very young age and have been doing this for a very long time. The fans have become like family. It’s nice to just enjoy the ride with them. I get to do all these wonderful performances for them, and it’s received so well. I’m very grateful to have a wonderful, adoring fanbase.
Being this over-the-top performer on television, do you feel you have to always be on when you meet fans? How do you approach meeting fans in public?
Oh, I’ve never been asked that. It’s a tough one. I suppose it’s no different. I see fans sometimes in the wild, and it’s lovely to catch up and have a chat. It has been lovely enjoying the ride with all these people. They’ve been following my stuff for years and years. I really feel the connection. I love when I bump into them in the wild world. I feel a very strong connection to the fans, more than I ever have. I don’t know if it’s because I’m such an amazingly talented performer or if we’ve created a bond and relationship now.
What I think has been great is I feel you’ve created this interest for fans to check out old films. You even did some fun stuff with Turner Classic Movies and Ben Mankiewicz in the past. Have you found inspiration looking back on those movies?
To be honest, I’m not really inspired by any one thing in particular. There is no real one film or particular actor I’m inspired by really. I’m just going out there and performing with all my heart and soul and doing what comes to me. I really am just letting go and creating some wonderful art. I try not to latch on to any one thing in particular because my purpose is just to make art. That is all. I feel inside it’s my sole purpose.
How would you describe what goes into your presentation? I appreciate these little nuanced things like your entrance where you’re in black and white with a hint of red. Do you feel it’s a good collaborative effort between yourself and Tony and AEW?
I think you might actually be surprised. There have been a lot of ideas shot down. A lot of wild ideas that our President Tony Khan has been just horrified and disgusted by. He really has to work hard to keep it all together, God bless him. He leads a massive team. There are a lot of moving parts backstage at All Elite and Warner Brothers. There is a massive team made up of people I don’t even know or haven’t even met. But TK is definitely the leader and all. Nothing gets past him as much as I do try to push the limits.
There is a misconception as well that RJ City…I don’t know if you’ve heard of him. Probably not, but there is this misconception that he is the brain behind this whole thing. I must put the rumors to rest. He does absolutely nothing. I think they just keep him around so if something goes wrong, we have someone to blame. He is more of a fall guy. He may be an intern. I’m not sure if he works there. There is not as much creative freedom as you think. The amount of things I’ve wanted to do where Tony has been completely horrified. But yeah, I get away with what I can.
Anything you can tell us?
Oh no, I’m still trying to push things through. So, never say never.
Ricky Havlik/AEW
Fair enough. Looking at your in-ring work, you’re all about storytelling. How is it finding the balance between the entertainment side and actual wrestling in the ring?
To me, it’s all the same thing. I think people are captivated by my larger-than-life performances and the glamour side of things. They may forget that I’ve been wrestling for a very long time and happen to be a very skillful competitor. The match side is very important to me, and I’ve dedicated my life to being the best competitor I can be. I’d say I’m a pretty good wrestler.
You’ve had some great matches from established names like Mercedes Moné to young breakout stars like Skye Blue. Given your success and as a veteran, have you gotten any newer talents that have reached out to you for guidance?
I really feel I encourage a lot of people to figure their stuff out. They need to figure out their own sort of thing. This really has to come from yourself and come from within. That Skye Blue is a little sh*t. She is a bad little b*tch. She is a bad girl and cheeky little sh*t, but she is alright at the same time. She’ll do well because she is a conniving little sh*t.
I enjoyed seeing you in Queen of the Ring. Have you gotten offers to do more movies? Are you looking to do more in that space given how good you are onscreen?
I wouldn’t be against it, but I’ve kind of got my hands tied with All Elite right now. It’s a very demanding job. I do Dynamite and Collision each week most of the time, which means I never really go home or have any downtime. I’ve been focusing on creating films for All Elite Wrestling. That has been wonderful. I’ve created many films for them each week. Every week is a film.
You mentioned having this demanding schedule. How important is it that you have a husband [fellow AEW star Juice Robinson] who understands that demanding lifestyle and grind of being a pro wrestler?
It sure does help. Wrestlers do tend to stick together in this business. It’s a very unique business. It’s probably hard for a regular civilian to understand. We’re around each other so much that I found my husband through professional wrestling. I’m very lucky because he understands the madness I’m involved in. He is actually mad himself. So, it helps that someone relates.
Has there ever been talk of you two working together onscreen?
I’m not sure the world would be ready for that kind of madness. I’m not really sure. I like to let things flow organically and see where we go.
Lee South/AEW
All Out is the first pay-per-view available on HBO Max. Are there any TV shows you like to watch on there?
I can’t watch anything right now because work has become so consuming. I literally cannot watch or consume anything. That’s probably some sort of mental illness I should get looked at.
What does Toni Storm do outside of the spotlight to escape and decompress?
I lay around in a vat of Vaseline when I can. I try to block the sun out as much as possible. I’ve had many drunken afternoons.
The AEW women’s division has added some new faces. What do you make of the landscape now? Where do you want to see it go?
I honestly hope they don’t start another women’s revolution. Is the last one over? If I do start a revolution, it would be to stop women’s wrestling to be honest. No women should be in wrestling. They should all leave the business. I lose my mind and get beaten within an inch of my life and that is what makes me successful. Here is my advice to any young girl, just run away. You don’t want this.
How was it building that bond with Luther and seeing your partnership take off on TV?
I feel a bit bad for Luther for the first time in my life. At All In, as much as I’m excited I defeated Mercedes Moné, she broke my butler. He is out of use. He is out of order. I genuinely don’t know when he will be back. It’s actually quite concerning. His penis just snapped right off the back. It’s a really tragic thing. I wish I was joking, but he is genuinely injured. I don’t know if he will be back. Times are tough without him, which is unfortunate because the stakes have never been higher with a four-way this weekend at All Out. The road to getting to this place hasn’t been easy with no butler. You’d think Tony Khan would have found a replacement by now. Nobody can do his job apparently. I’m going to have to find a way to manage all of this.
So you’re accepting resumes.
I’ll take any help I can get in these trying times. I just hope Luther can snap the f*ck out of it. I’ve had enough of him. He needs to get back. I’m getting to the point where I don’t care how injured he is because I need his assistance. I’m exhausted. It’s not looking good.
What are your thoughts on your All Out opponents?
This is going to be a big one. These are three very strong, very skillful women. Instead of just one opponent, I’ve got three. They’re all gunning for the one thing I love the most, and that’s the AEW Women’s World Championship. It’s a very tough time. I have a great deal of respect for Statlander. Jamie Hayter I gave a title shot to despite doing nothing to deserve one. She didn’t thank me at all. In fact, she interrupted my promo and tried to take a swing at me. I lost all respect there. Then there is the toxic Austrian spider Thekla. To be honest, I’ve had worse bugs crawl over me. It’s horrendous. They are all coming for my blood and baby. As you know, I’m nothing without my title. It’s not looking good for me. I just have to do what I do best, and that’s to be insanely strong and talented. I’m sure I’d then find my way back on my feet.
Lastly, do you think we’ll ever get this match with you versus Wendi Richter? Is Tony going to make it happen?
I should bloody hope so. I don’t know how many times I need to ask or phone calls I need to make. If you could help me get some sort of movement going, that would be greatly appreciated.
We’ll slide into Tony’s DMs and see what we can do.
Please do. I’m not tech savvy, so use your technical wizardry and make something happen please, Scott.
AEW All Out, September 20, 3/2c, Pay-Per-View and HBO Max
AEW Dynamite, Wednesdays, 8/7c, TBS
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