10 Things You Didn't Know About Tessa Blanchard

10. Shakespeare Not Suplexes

Like many of her peers and contemporaries, Tessa Blanchard discovered the magic of the stage from an early age. Being the daughter of an all-time great heel was always going to leave some performative genes (apples rarely fall too far from trees, after all), but it was the world of music and story that initially grabbed Tessa, not the violence and poetry of the squared circle.

In an interview with the San Antonio Daily Express, Blanchard stated that she never wanted to be wrestler, instead dreaming of a spot on Broadway. She excelled in music and theatre all through school before eventually enrolling at the Charlotte Children's Theater, entering a world of Shakespeare and amateur productions. Blanchard's childhood wasn't dramatic on either side of the ledger (she has claimed that she doesn't remember much of it), but musical theatre provided an escape.

As the pro wrestling industry continues to evolve, it is inevitable that more young stars are going to be make the transition from music and theatre to the squared circle. The days of tough men getting by on an ability to be punched are long gone, and the future of the industry depends on its ability to develop engrossing characters with the ability to tell fascinating stories. Tessa's background stood her in good stead.