Joanie Laurer
Joan Marie Laurer was a former American professional wrestler, actress, bodybuilder and pornographic film actress who was under contract to Vivid Entertainment. Chyna first rose to prominence upon debuting in the professional wrestling promotion WWE in 1997, where she performed under the ring name Chyna and was billed as the "Ninth Wonder of the World" (André the Giant was already billed as the eighth). A member of the stable D-Generation X, she held the WWE Intercontinental Championship (the first female wrestler to do so) and WWE Women's Championship, and was the first female wrestler to participate in the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring events. Since leaving the WWE in 2001, Chyna had wrestled sporadically, most notably with New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002 and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2011. Laurer had a strained relationship with her family. She last saw her mother at the age of sixteen, and she claimed that her father never got over her decision not to join the FBI. She also alleged that her father took out several student loans in her name and without her knowledge, leaving her with $40,000 in debt. On an episode of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew in 2008, Laurer claimed to have a bad relationship with all of her family members, including her siblings. In September 2010, Laurer was hospitalized after overdosing on sleeping medication. As of February 2015, Laurer had reestablished a good relationship with her mother; her father died in May 2014.
Laurer taught English in Japan.
On February 9, 2015, during a WWE Network podcast with Steve Austin, Triple H mentioned that Chyna deserved to be in the WWE Hall of Fame but that problems with children Googling her prohibited it. After being in contact with Vince Russo she claimed in an interview that Triple H had hit her, which he later called a false statement.
Death
On April 20, 2016, Laurer was found dead at her home in Redondo Beach, California. She had been taking medication for anxiety and sleep deprivation. An official statement was posted to her Twitter account, saying "It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero ... She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her."
Acted in
Nothing Better Than Parody 7
2024
Superheroes 2
2023
Biography: Chyna
2023
as Self
Nothing Better Than Parody 5
2023
as (archive footage)
Biography: D-Generation X
2022
as Herself (archive footage)
WWE This Is Awesome
2022
as Chyna (archive footage)
Out in the Ring
2022
as Chyna
Untold: Crime & Penalties
2021
as Self - WWF Superstar (archive footage)
Vice Versa: Chyna
2021
as Herself
Biography: Shawn Michaels
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Biography: WWE Legends
2021
The Rock's Most Electrifying Matches
2020
as Chyna
Vice Versa
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Trish & Lita – Best Friends, Better Rivals
2019
as Chyna
WWE Hall of Fame 2019
2019
as Chyna
WWE: Monday Night War Vol. 1: Shots Fired
2015
as Chyna
WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions
2014
as Chyna
White T
2013
as Psychic
She-Hulk XXX: An Axel Braun Parody
2013
as She-Hulk
Chyna Is Queen of the Ring
2012
as Herself
Avengers XXX: A Porn Parody
2012
as She-Hulk
Losing Control
2012
as Barb
WWE: The Best of SmackDown - 10th Anniversary, 1999-2009
2012
as Chyna (archive footage)
YouShoot: Chyna
2011
as Herself
Backdoor to Chyna
2011
TNA Sacrifice 2011
2011
as Chyna
Another Night in China
2009
as Herself
WWE: The History Of The Intercontinental Championship
2008
as Chyna (archive footage)
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
2008
as Self
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
2007
as Chyna
Trantasia
2007
as Self
TKO
2007
Illegal Aliens
2007
as Rex
Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
2007
as Roxanne
The Surreal Life: Fame Games
2007
Cougar Club
2007
as Teddy Archibald
Midnight Money Madness
2006
101 Reasons Not To Be A Pro Wrestler
2005
as Herself
1 Night in China
2004
as Herself
Hunter: Back in Force
2003
as Brandy Rose
The Surreal Life
2003
as Self
Alien Tracker
2003
as Ree
NJPW The Spiral
2002
Brown Sugar
2002
as Woman at Party (uncredited)
Frank McKlusky, C.I.
2002
as Freeda
Robot Wars Grand Champions
2002
Tracker
2001
as Rhee (as Joanie Laurer)
WWF: Divas in Hedonism
2001
as Herself
WWE Tough Enough
2001
as Chyna
Fear Factor
2001
WWE Judgment Day 2001
2001
as Chyna
WWE WrestleMania X-Seven
2001
as Chyna
WWE Royal Rumble 2001
2001
as Chyna
Gary & Mike
2001
as Self (voice)
Playboy: Joanie Laurer Nude
2001
WWE Armageddon 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE Rebellion 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE Survivor Series 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE No Mercy 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE Unforgiven 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE SummerSlam 2000
2000
as Chyna
The Huntress
2000
WWF Fully Loaded 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE King of the Ring 2000
2000
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Judgment Day 2000
2000
as Chyna (Valet)
WWE Insurrextion 2000
2000
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Backlash 2000
2000
as Chyna (Valet)
WWF: The Rock - The People's Champ
2000
as Herself
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion
2000
as Ava Zurich
WWE WrestleMania 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE No Way Out 2000
2000
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Royal Rumble 2000
2000
as Chyna
WWE Armageddon 1999
1999
as Chyna
WWF: It's Our Time
1999
as Chyna
Mick Foley: Madman Unmasked
1999
as Herself
WWE Survivor Series 1999
1999
as Chyna
Beyond the Mat
1999
as Herself
WWE No Mercy 1999
1999
as Chyna
WWE Rebellion 1999
1999
as Chyna
WWE Unforgiven 1999
1999
as Chyna
Relic Hunter
1999
as Natasha Tripova
WWE SummerSlam 1999
1999
as Chyna
WWE Fully Loaded 1999
1999
as Chyna
WWE King of the Ring 1999
1999
as Chyna
Come Get Some: The Women of the WWF
1999
as Chyna
WWE Over the Edge
1999
as Chyna
WWE No Mercy (UK) 1999
1999
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE SmackDown
1999
as Chyna
WWE Backlash: In Your House
1999
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE WrestleMania XV
1999
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House
1999
as Chyna
WWE Royal Rumble 1999
1999
as Chyna
WWE Capital Carnage
1998
as Chyna
WWF: The Rock - Know Your Role
1998
as Herself
WWE Judgment Day: In Your House
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE SummerSlam 1998
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWF: D-Generation X
1998
as Chyna
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
1998
as Herself
WWE Heat
1998
WWE Heat
1998
as Chyna
WWE Heat
1998
as Chyna
WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE King of the Ring 1998
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
Celebrity Deathmatch
1998
WWE Unforgiven: In Your House
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Mayhem in Manchester
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE WrestleMania XIV
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Royal Rumble 1998
1998
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE D-Generation X: In Your House
1997
as Herself
WWE Badd Blood: In Your House
1997
as Chyna
WWE One Night Only
1997
as Chyna
WWE Ground Zero: In Your House
1997
as Chyna
WWE SummerSlam 1997
1997
as Chyna
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
1997
as Chyna
Best Of Raw • Volume Six
1997
WWE King of the Ring 1997
1997
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell
1997
as Chyna (Ringside)
WWE WrestleMania 13
1997
as Chyna (Ringside)
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1996
as Mary Jo Ponder
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
as Janice
MADtv
1995
as Self
WWE Raw
1993
as Chyna
WWE Raw
1993
as Chyna (archive footage)
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
1988
AVN Awards
1984
as Self
Wrestling with Chyna
as Herself