Sonya Deville Talks COVID-19, LGBTQ+ Efforts, Asuka, More

Publish date: 2024-06-02

WWE Superstar Sonya Deville spoke with International Business Times recently about numerous topics including coronavirus, the LGBTQ+ movement, and her thoughts on numerous competitors such as Asuka and Bayley. Check out the highlights below.

On wrestling during the coronavirus pandemic:

It’s obviously been kind of crazy for everybody, but it’s one of these things where the last five years of our lives have been on the road. And we haven’t had much downtime or normalcy of a Monday through Friday or anything like that. So it’s been nice in a sense to be in our own homes instead of hotels. We’re blessed to still be able to work and put on a show for people that are going through tough times, because what’s our escape right now? Television and social media. It’s cool to be a part of something that’s providing entertainment in a time like this. I don’t live with anybody who’s high risk. I don’t have kids. I don’t live with my mother or anything like that, so it’s more comfortable for someone like me I think to just push through and do what I need to do. But I understand everyone’s difference of opinions on a situation like this.

On her friend Tegan Nox also coming out as a lesbian:

She reached out to me a couple of months ago and she just kind of picked my brain on my coming out story. What it was like and what she was going through and how to kind of navigate some of the dark waters that she hasn’t done yet. I just gave her the best advice I could, and I told her that I think she’s awesome and speaking her truth is a powerful thing, but to do it on her time, in her way and not to let anybody else dictate that journey for her.

On LGBTQ representation in WWE and AEW:

It’s so cool. I look back to five years ago when I first came into WWE and I was nervous because there wasn’t a lot of representation. I didn’t even know of Darren Young at the time. I learned about him as I got signed into NXT, but then he didn’t work for the company anymore. Within my small community, there wasn’t much representation. It was important for me to be that for other young people looking to get into the wrestling industry, and to now see representation of almost all aspects of the LGBTQ+ community is so important. It’s so pivotal for our community and where the sport is going in general.

On why she wants to have a feud with Asuka:

Asuka is in my opinion the greatest to ever do it. She’s so well-rounded. She’s so charismatic. She’s hard-hitting. She’s aggressive, fast. Everything that I like about wrestling is what Asuka does. I think our styles match up well. I think we’re both heavy hitters, hard strikers. Every wrestler has good chemistry with another wrestler, more so than anybody else, and I just think that mine and Asuka’s in-ring chemistry is incredible. I would love to show fans that one day. I know that moment in time will come.

On her interest in becoming an actress after life in WWE:

Before I got to WWE, the two things that I loved most were acting and fighting. That’s why I was out in Los Angeles. When I discovered WWE, I was like, “Wait a second. This is the combination of the two things that I literally love the most.” It’s performing and fighting, and it’s kind of everything rolled into one. I kind of organically stumbled upon my dream job. I’m so happy here and I plan to be here for a long time, but when my body can’t handle it anymore or when the time’s right, I would love to transition into acting and be in movies. I’d love to be the first female to really make that transition from WWE to Hollywood.

You can read the entire interview here. Let us know what you think about Sonya in the comments below.

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