Wrestling and Hollywood sometimes go hand in hand. Whether it be celebrities like Hugh Jackman appearing on an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, or wrestlers like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, John Cena, The Rock, or even Becky Lynch getting into the acting world, the ties are there. While some may thrive, as fans have seen the likes of Cena, The Rock, and lately Batista, others have struggled to breakout aside from more niche roles. One such instance is CJ Perry, the former WWE Superstar known as Lana and real-life wife of AEW Wrestler, Miro. Though wrestling fans know her most for her work as the Ravishing Russian, Perry has a background in acting, with numerous roles dating back to 2008, where she would make her on-screen debut in a short film. Doing a lot of backrgound and extra work over the years, CJ has manged to land some named roles in movies such as Wifelike, Cosmic Sin, and Another Version of You.
Despite all of this, CJ Perry's biggest role for many is as a background character in the hit film series, Pitch Perfect, most notably, the second film. Led by Anna Kendrick, the musical series features an acapella group's rise from nothing to superstardom, with the former WWE manager and wrestler being featured as one of the members of The Barden Bellas.
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CJ Perry Had A Small Role In The First 'Pitch Perfect' Film
While many WWE or overall wrestling fans may know that CJ Perry took part in Pitch Perfect 2, as she was featured on the main roster pretty heavily during the film's release in 2015, what many do not know is that it was not the first major Hollywood film for the wrestling star. That would surprisingly be the film's previous release, Pitch Perfect, in 2012.
For those watching WWE at the time of Pitch Perfect's release, Lana was not with the company yet, as she would sign in 2013 before debuting as the manager for Rusev. While her role was still small in the first film, she did take part in the opening scene of the movie, where she can be clearly seen as one of the former Barden Bellas during a flashback sequence.
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CJ Perry Returns For 'Pitch Perfect 2'
After playing both a former Barden Bella and one of The Footnotes in the first Pitch Perfect film, CJ Perry would once again be called back for the sequel a few years later. Three years after the first outing, Pitch Perfect 2 would be released in 2015, with most of the cast returning and new additions being made, including the major addition of future MCU starlet, Hailee Steinfeld. In addition to the key actors returning to their roles, WWE's own Ravishing Russian would return to her background role in the sequel, once again playing a former Barden Bella.
While it may not have been the most historic or groundbreaking role, Perry's time working with the Pitch Perfect cast seemed to pay off, as following the release of both movies, she would not only continue to find success in the wrestling world, but would also get bigger roles in movies, albeit mostly independent pictures. With key roles in Wifelike, Cosmic Sin, Another Version of You, Interrogation, Soul, and Countdown, following her time in Pitch Perfect, CJ Perry would make the most of her on-screen acting roles.
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