Summers-Calvert/Crucible Films Ltd
Jordynne Grace has found her paradise — on the big screen. The 30-year-old Texas native professional wrestling and bodybuilding star is making waves with her bow in “Welcome to Paradise,” writer/director Richard Summers-Calvert’s (who recently went viral as the voice Biddy Blas in Star Wars: Galactic Racer) fantastical independent movie that, as Variety exclusively broke the news last year, marks Grace’s feature film debut.
“This part just sounded so cool to do,” Grace told The Pop Break. “I don’t know how much I can say, but basically my character is a wrestling demon, and I’ve never done anything like that.”
The film plays in central New Jersey at 7 p.m. Saturday, November 7 as part of the fifth annual SModcastle Film Festival at Kevin Smith’s SModcastle Cinemas in downtown Atlantic Highlands. The festival opens on Thursday, Nov. 5, and Grace tells us she plans to attend the awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8.
Entering The Carnival: How a WWE Superstar Became a Wrestling Demon
Before stepping into feature films, Grace established herself as one of the most physically dominant forces in professional wrestling. Known to fans as “The Juggernaut,” she shocked the industry with her WWE debut at the 2024 Royal Rumble while still holding the TNA Knockouts Championship. Time in NXT followed, then main roster matchups on SmackDown against division stars such as Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton.
Yet while Grace was dominating in-ring competition, a movie role was quietly coming together across the Atlantic. The origins of her film debut trace back to a direct message from Summers-Calvert, a fellow wrestler (under the name Charles Crowley) whose parallel career as a filmmaker Grace was initially unaware of.
“He actually contacted me on Instagram a couple of years ago when I was still signed to TNA Wrestling, and he just told me about the project. It sounded really, really awesome.”
That project, Welcome to Paradise, produced by Crucible Films is described by Variety as a surreal blend of psychological drama, dark comedy and mythic surrealism. The film follows Lisa (Georgina Bennett), a woman who awakens on a mysterious beach and is guided to The Carnival, a venue populated by humans and magical beasts.
Summers-Calvert has described the United Kingdom-shot project, which features voice work from big screen icon Bill Nighy, as “ambitious and unapologetically bold.”
A Thousand Takes vs. One Live Shot: The Rigors of Film Acting
Transitioning from performing live in front of arena crowds for sports entertainment television cameras to acting on a closed movie set proved to be an eye-opening experience for Grace. While wrestling relies on split-second execution and live audience energy, film production demands grueling repetition.
“I swear there were like a thousand takes!” Grace laughed. “It’s so much more exhausting than actual wrestling, in my opinion, because you just have to do it so many times, the exact same way every time, for all of these different cameras. Everything has to be so precise and right.”
The fatigue came not only from physical repetition, but also from performing intense action in silence without real-time feedback.
“In a live wrestling match, you only get one shot: The crowd is there seeing it live, so it’s not like you can do a bunch of retakes,” Grace noted. “And on top of that, you don’t have anybody reacting until after the scene is cut, right? So you don’t get the audience reaction or that kind of adrenaline rush. You just wait until afterwards and you’re like, ‘OK, was that good, or are we doing it again?'”
Still, Grace found that wrestling provided crucial skills for screen acting, particularly conveying story through movement and body language. “I’ve learned a lot of subtlety — facial expression is a huge one,” she explained. “Connecting with an audience that isn’t physically present is definitely one of the biggest things I’ve learned from wrestling.”
The Unstoppable Drive of The Juggernaut
Grace’s foray into film reflects a relentless personal drive that extends far beyond the ring. However, she admits that her constant urge to push forward can make it difficult to slow down.
“To be honest, I’m not sure that it’s the best trait, because there’s a beauty in being able to live in the moment. Unfortunately, I just don’t think I’m able to do that,” Grace said. “I feel like I’m always wanting to go on to the next thing. Every time I accomplish something, I’m like, ‘OK, that is expected. Great. Now we have to do something even better.’ Mentally, that’s where I am constantly, always looking for the next opportunity.”
That drive recently led her to take flying lessons, though the endeavor hit an unexpected roadblock. “I actually got medically disqualified because of an ADHD diagnosis, which I had no idea about,” Grace shared. “That was a huge disappointment to me, because I’ve never wanted to do something very badly and not been able to do it for, in my opinion, a very stupid reason.”
After a strong showing in 2023, having placed first in the Women’s Physique category at that year’s Tri-City Classic event, Grace made a surprise return to the bodybuilding stage this September at the NPC Heart of Texas event, as reported by Muscle and Fitness, who also noted that Grace, a former three-time world champion in TNA, is also a current WNPF Georgia State and National Record holder in three categories.
So, what’s next for Grace? “I’m looking to do something outside of professional wrestling. I feel like I’ve laid a really great base for my audience, and I want to go beyond that audience now. I want to go into the bodybuilding world more; I’m going to be competing in another couple of shows coming up. I’ve been getting pretty obsessed with that lately.”
For more information on the SModcastle Film Festival, running Thursday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8 at the SModcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, visit
