Emily Bett Rickards hit the gym and the ropes to play wrestling pioneer Mildred Burke in "Queen of the Ring," which weaves in fact with fiction.

Ash Avildsen, son of 'Rocky' director John G. Avildsen, helms 'Queen of the Ring,' an overly earnest biopic about trailblazing wrestler Mildred Burke.

The actor and writer/director tell the story of the first million dollar female athlete in history. Emily Bett Rickards and Ash Avildsen on Bringing Wrestling Pioneer Mildred Burke to Life in Queen of

Josh Lucas, Francesca Eastwood and Deborah Ann Wohl co-star in an arch and inspiring film about athlete Mildred Burke.

However, before any of these names made their mark, there was Mildred Burke, a female wrestler who rose up in the 1930s and took over wrestling. Mildred Burke combined muscles and strength with beauty and femininity.

Queen of the Ring uses the story of Mildred Burke to expertly explore women's pro wrestling in a time when they weren't allowed in the sport.