Sasha Banks Reveals Pro Wrestler Turned Actor That She Looks Up To
Whether she's Mercedes Varnado or WWE star Sasha Banks, the WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion is trying to use her platform to "dream bigger."
"When I got the call for 'Star Wars,' I thought, wow I have the potential to be not only talked about in the same line of work [not only] with those guys in the wrestling realm but also in the Hollywood realm," Banks said in an interview with "Ahch-To Radio" host Alden Diaz.
Banks, who plays Khoska Reeves on the popular Star Wars show "The Mandolorian," saw the potential in mixing her acting career with her active wrestling career.
"You don't see women come from that space to the Hollywood world," Banks said, noting that people don't often jump into movies while they're at the top of their sport. "It's usually when they're retired or injured or something of that sorts. I'm at the top of my game, in my prime."
Looking Up To A Legend
Banks said the journey has made her look up to wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
"He's the number one actor in the whole friggin' world," Sasha gushed. "He came from wrestling. He's only been in wrestling for a short amount of time but his impact alone just tells you how hard of a work he put in. So when I look at people like him I'm just like 'alright it's time to one-it-up and do it for the women. I'm trying to do this for the women going forward that we can be in the same light, in the same talks as all of them."
While Banks talks about being at the "top of her game," the former champion has been notably absent from professional wrestling since walking out of WWE with her tag partner Naomi, vacating the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship in the process. Banks has been mum on if or when she'll return to WWE but said "stay tuned."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Ahch-To Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.