10 Performances In Film Biopics That Actually Get It Right
2. Florence Pugh - Fighting with my Family
From the humblest beginnings in the east of England to the glitz and glamour of the WWE, Paige's journey to the top was a rags-to-riches tale that rivals the very best of professional wrestling storylines.
Injecting Paige's already compelling journey with a layer of comedy provided by the film's director, the desperately funny Stephen Merchant, was a stroke of genius, and though the film is thoroughly amusing throughout, it's Florence Pugh's performance as fish-out-of-water Saraya that steals the show.
The character she inherits is naïve to the tough climate of pro wrestling, and Pugh's accent, appearance and aura wonderfully weave together to pay homage to a WWE Superstar that rocketed to the top of the women's division mere minutes after she made her debut on the main roster.
Paige's success came from a deeply-rooted past in the ring, which contrasts with much of the other competitors she battled against in developmental. The film plays so perfectly on this, and Pugh's performance gives fantastic context to the real Paige, as her rise to stardom is so well handled.
Despite releasing in the same year as Ari Aster's Midsommar and Greta Gerwig's Little Women, this was undeniably Pugh's best performance of 2019.