Joan Marie Laurer

Acting

Born Dec 27, 1969

From Rochester, New York, USA

Died Apr 20, 2016

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."

Joan Marie Laurer

Known For

WWE No Way Out 2000

WWE WrestleMania XV

Brown Sugar

Cougar Club

WWE WrestleMania X-Seven

WWE Rebellion 1999

WWF: It's Our Time

WWE WrestleMania 2000

WWE King of the Ring 1998

White T

Filmography — Acting

WWE No Way Out 2000

WWE WrestleMania XV

Brown Sugar

Cougar Club

WWE WrestleMania X-Seven

WWE Rebellion 1999

WWF: It's Our Time

WWE WrestleMania 2000

WWE King of the Ring 1998

White T

WWF Fully Loaded 2000

Beyond the Mat

WWE Royal Rumble 1998

On the Line

WWE: The Best of SmackDown - 10th Anniversary, 1999-2009

WWE Backlash: In Your House

Come Get Some: The Women of the WWF

WWE Backlash 2000

WWE WrestleMania 13

WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House

WWE No Mercy 2000

WWE WrestleMania XIV

WWE Royal Rumble 2000

WWE Survivor Series 2000

WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary

WWE Unforgiven 2000

WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House

WWE Judgment Day: In Your House

WWE Judgment Day 2000

Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion

WWE Royal Rumble 2001

WWE Over the Edge

WWE Capital Carnage

WWE Badd Blood: In Your House

WWE Royal Rumble 1999

Frank McKlusky, C.I.

WWE: The History Of The Intercontinental Championship

Alien Tracker

Then, Now, Forever: The Evolution of WWE’s Women’s Division

WWE Over the Edge: In Your House

WWE Armageddon 1999

WWE SummerSlam 2000

WWE: Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story

WWE SummerSlam 1998

WWE Survivor Series 1999

WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede

WWE SummerSlam 1997

WWE: Monday Night War Vol. 1: Shots Fired

WWE Mayhem in Manchester

WWE Unforgiven 1999

WWE D-Generation X: In Your House

WWE No Mercy 1999

Hunter: Back in Force

WWE SummerSlam 1999

WWE Ground Zero: In Your House

Vice Versa: Chyna

Illegal Aliens

WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell

WWE St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House

WWE Insurrextion 2000

TKO

WWE Judgment Day 2001

WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions

WWE King of the Ring 1997

Mick Foley: Madman Unmasked

WWE Armageddon 2000

WWE No Mercy (UK) 1999