Joan Marie Laurer
Acting • Born 1969-12-27 – Died 2016-04-20
Biography
Joan Marie Laurer (stage name Chyna) 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."
Filmography
134 credits
Frank McKlusky, C.I.
Movie • 2002
Freeda
Nothing Better Than Parody 5
Movie • 2023
(archive footage)
TKO
Movie • 2007
Illegal Aliens
Movie • 2007
Rex
NJPW The Spiral
Movie • 2002
Vice Versa: Chyna
Movie • 2021
Herself
The Rock's Most Electrifying Matches
Movie • 2020
Chyna
Avengers XXX: A Porn Parody
Movie • 2012
She-Hulk
Superheroes 2
Movie • 2023
(archive footage)
Playboy: Joanie Laurer Nude
Movie • 2001
Self (as Joanie Laurer)
Alien Tracker
Movie • 2003
Ree
Losing Control
Movie • 2012
Barb
Best Of Raw • Volume Six
Movie • 1997
White T
Movie • 2013
Psychic
Out in the Ring
Movie • 2022
Chyna
Brown Sugar
Movie • 2002
Woman at Party (uncredited)
Beyond the Mat
Movie • 1999
Self
Nothing Better Than Parody 7
Movie • 2024
(archive footage)
She-Hulk XXX: An Axel Braun Parody
Movie • 2013
She-Hulk
Trantasia
Movie • 2007
Self
WWF: It's Our Time
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE WrestleMania 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
Mick Foley: Madman Unmasked
Movie • 1999
Herself
WWE Rebellion 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWE Royal Rumble 2001
Movie • 2001
Chyna
WWE WrestleMania X-Seven
Movie • 2001
Chyna
WWE Judgment Day 2001
Movie • 2001
Chyna
WWE: Monday Night War Vol. 1: Shots Fired
Movie • 2015
Chyna
WWF: Divas in Hedonism
Movie • 2001
Herself
WWE No Mercy 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWE Survivor Series 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWF: The Rock - Know Your Role
Movie • 1998
Herself
Wrestling with Chyna
Movie
Herself
101 Reasons Not To Be A Pro Wrestler
Movie • 2005
Herself
WWE Unforgiven 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWE Armageddon 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWE King of the Ring 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE SummerSlam 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWF Fully Loaded 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWE Rebellion 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Over the Edge
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell
Movie • 1997
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE WrestleMania 13
Movie • 1997
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Royal Rumble 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE WrestleMania XIV
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Royal Rumble 1998
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE No Mercy (UK) 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Capital Carnage
Movie • 1998
Chyna
WWE Judgment Day 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna (Valet)
WWE Survivor Series 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Unforgiven 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Backlash: In Your House
Movie • 1999
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE D-Generation X: In Your House
Movie • 1997
Herself
WWE SummerSlam 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion
Movie • 2000
Ava Zurich
WWE Backlash 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna (Valet)
WWE WrestleMania XV
Movie • 1999
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE King of the Ring 1997
Movie • 1997
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE No Way Out 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE SummerSlam 1998
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
Hunter: Back in Force
Movie • 2003
Brandy Rose
WWE King of the Ring 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Judgment Day: In Your House
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Royal Rumble 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna
WWE Fully Loaded 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE SummerSlam 1997
Movie • 1997
Chyna
WWE Insurrextion 2000
Movie • 2000
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Armageddon 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
The Rock - The People's Champ
Movie • 2000
Herself
WWE King of the Ring 1998
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE No Mercy 1999
Movie • 1999
Chyna
1 Night in China
Movie • 2004
Herself
Chyna Is Queen of the Ring
Movie • 2012
Herself
Another Night in China
Movie • 2009
Herself
Backdoor to Chyna
Movie • 2011
Self
WWF: D-Generation X
Movie • 1998
Chyna
YouShoot: Chyna
Movie • 2011
Herself
WWE Hall of Fame 2019
Movie • 2019
Chyna
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
Movie • 2007
Chyna
WWE: The Best of SmackDown - 10th Anniversary, 1999-2009
Movie • 2012
Chyna (archive footage)
Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
Movie • 2007
Roxanne
TNA Sacrifice 2011
Movie • 2011
Chyna
Come Get Some: The Women of the WWF
Movie • 1999
Chyna
WWE: The History Of The Intercontinental Championship
Movie • 2008
Chyna (archive footage)
Cougar Club
Movie • 2007
Teddy Archibald
WWE Mayhem in Manchester
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Unforgiven: In Your House
Movie • 1998
Chyna (Ringside)
WWE Ground Zero: In Your House
Movie • 1997
Chyna
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
Movie • 1997
Chyna
WWE One Night Only
Movie • 1997
Chyna
WWE Badd Blood: In Your House
Movie • 1997
Chyna
WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions
Movie • 2014
Chyna
WWE Liv Forever
Movie • 2020
Chyna (archive footage)
Playboy: Joanie Laurer, Nude Wrestling Superstar
Movie • 2002
Self (as Joanie Laurer)
WWE: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Then, Now, Forever: The Evolution of WWE’s Women’s Division
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Lita: It Just Feels Right
Movie • 2001
Chyna
On the Line
Movie • 2001
Chyna
The Surreal Life
TV • 2003
Self
Fear Factor
TV • 2001
Best Week Ever
TV • 2004
The Tyra Banks Show
TV • 2005
Tracker
TV • 2001
Rhee (as Joanie Laurer)
Celebrity Deathmatch
TV • 1998
Relic Hunter
TV • 1999
Natasha Tripova
The Surreal Life: Fame Games
TV • 2007
Midnight Money Madness
TV • 2006
The Huntress
TV • 2000
MADtv
TV • 1995
Self
Reality Bites Back
TV • 2008
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
TV • 2008
Self
Vice Versa
TV • 2020
Self (archive footage)
WWE Heat
TV • 1998
Robot Wars Grand Champions
TV • 2002
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
TV • 1988
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
TV • 1999
Chyna
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
TV • 1996
Mary Jo Ponder
WWE This Is Awesome
TV • 2022
Chyna (archive footage)
Gary & Mike
TV • 2001
Self (voice)
Raw
TV • 1993
Chyna
WWE Tough Enough
TV • 2001
Chyna
3rd Rock from the Sun
TV • 1996
Janice
WWE Heat
TV • 1998
Chyna
Biography: WWE Legends
TV • 2021
Chyna
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
TV • 1998
Self
Pacific Blue
TV • 1996
Tonya Sweet
I demoni dello sport
TV • 2025
Self
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
TV • 1999
WWE Old School
TV • 1973
Chyna (Ringside)
Raw
TV • 1993