Read our exclusive interview with fighter-actress-producer-director Francesca Zappitelli, who appears in the documentary ‘Ballerina I’m Not.’ The film chronicles her journey to succeed as a professional female fighter in the WWE and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). After achieving her goal to become a professional fighter, and discovering the acting aspect was her favorite part of the wrestling world, Zappitelli decided to appear in, produce and direct films. The fighter started her own film company, Zado Productions, in 2010, for which she’s a partner and producer. Zappiteli discusses with us, among other things, what motivated her to join the WWE and MMA, and why she decided to start her own production company.
ShockYa (SY): You can currently be seen in the documentary ‘Ballerina I’m Not.’ What was your motivation in appearing in the film?
Francesca Zappitelli (FZ): You know what, I wanted to inspire and empower women. Women who choose to be fighters don’t choose a cookie-cutter career choice. It’s definitely a career choice that goes against the grain. I wanted to showcase not only myself, but other female fighters, who can be girls-next-door and girlie-girls, but are still strong and can fight. I wanted to show the struggles of finding your way in that career path.
SY: Growing up, you were an accomplished equestrian and competed in competitions. Why did you make the transition to the world of wrestling and mixed martial arts?
FZ: Letting go of my first dream, my equestrian dream, was really a difficult one. I wanted to be in the Olympics, and I was on my way there. But then I got a reality check. For me to continue, I just didn’t have the finances. The horse that I needed was close to $100,000. This was when I was 16, 17, and life just hit me in the face.
You go to college, and pursue a career, or have my parents put a second mortgage on their house for me to follow this dream. It didn’t make sense to continue following it as a career path. It wasn’t realistic, so I made the hard choice of letting that dream go.
I went to college, and got into fitness, which got me into martial arts. As I got more into martial arts, I realized how much I loved it, which got me into fighting professionally.
SY: You attended the University of Professional Wrestling between 2004 and 2006, after which you launched career in wrestling and fighting. What were the most important lessons you learned about fighting while attending the University?
FZ: This might be crazy, but I went to normal college, too! I didn’t realize there was a college for professional wrestling. When I found that out, I was like, wow, that’s how you learn to how pro wrestler!
The important lessons? When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It was hard, it was all guys, boot-camp style. It was no mercy, and really tough training. Being the only girl, you have to hold your head high, and have to prove to the boys and yourself that you belong there, and that you’re unbreakable. So keeping mentally strong and physically strong, and not sweating the small stuff (is important).
If you got bruises, that goes with the territory, they’ll heal. In the process, my mind really got strong. It’s all mind over matter.
SY: Like you mentioned, you also went to regular college, and have a nutrition degree from ICS. Does having a health background help in your wrestling career?
FZ: Definitely. Knowing how to be fit, and taking care of yourself, helps in wrestling, helps in life. I was able to put on muscle mass when I needed to. Knowing how to take care of yourself after injuries, like take amino acid, that helps recovery. Those little things and tricks of the trade help with recovery.
We train for about five hours, like any professional athlete. When you’re done, you’re exhausted, and you have to look after your body right, and eat right, and sleep right, and train right, or else you can’t function.
SY: As you said, you were the only woman at the University of Professional Wrestling. What are some misconceptions about female fights that you have had to overcome at the university, and in your career?
FZ: I think there are major stereotypes. When people think of female fighters, they think of a big muscle head. Most people I told that I was a professional wrestler couldn’t believe it, because I’m fit, but I’m not a big muscle head. Realizing that anyone can be fit and strong, you don’t have to be a stereotypical body builder to do it.
I think there’s a stereotype too that wrestlers aren’t the brightest people on the block. There’s so many people I’ve met in the journey that were fighters that were so well-rounded, and weren’t a one-dimensional muscle head, or simple-minded fighter. They had many careers and experiences and were educated and fighters. I found that interesting.
SY: You transitioned into acting after realizing the acting aspect of wrestling was your favorite part of fighting. How did your experience in the WWE and MMA influence your acting career?
FZ: Wrestling and MMA definitely gave me that strong mind that I mentioned earlier. In acting, you have to have a strong mind, too. You can’t be afraid of what people say about you, the critics. You can’t be afraid of rejection in the auditioning process. You really have to know what you want, and have an unwavering mind. Having that strong mind to follow your dreams, and book the work, and not take no for an answer and find a way, you definitely develop that state, that warrior mind.
I also learned how to fight and choreograph the stunts in films. That became a fun part of it too, being able to cross that over, and bring that over into my acting. It’s a definite plus.
SY: Besides acting, you also launched your production company, Zado Productions, in 2010, in which you’re a partner and producer. What was your motivation in starting and running a production company?
FZ: Again, the empowerment. I didn’t want to be another actor in Hollywood, another cow in the cattle call. I much rather have my own farm, and make my own opportunities, and be one in a million. By producing, I’m able to take control of my acting career, and make opportunities for me. Also, manifest film choices that I want to act in.
SY: You recently directed, produced and starred in the short film ‘Frankie.’ What convinced you to take on the project?
FC: Well, I had a vision for the story. Sometimes, if you don’t tell a story, no one else will tell it as good as you can. It’s a story I wanted to tell, and I thought it was a story everyone could relate to. If you have the ability to do something, I think you should do it, your talent and responsibility. I realized I could do it, and make it happen. Produce, direct and star in it. So I went ahead and did it.
SY: What was the process like directing a project that you also appeared in?
FZ: Good question. I feel like I’m still the rookie on the block when it comes to Hollywood. Communicating everything in a graceful way, and never coming off as an evil up-and-coming director, I think was the key. I think being humble, down-to-earth and communicating the vision to everyone I worked with, helps everything move along smoothly.
SY: Do you have a preference of wrestling, acting or directing, and is there any one medium that you feel allows you to express your medium the most?
FZ: Another good question! I’ve got to say, there’s nothing like professional wrestling. There’s the hero and the enemy, and it’s so much fun, larger-than-life, cheesy over-acting. You do it for a live crowd. There’s nothing quite like that, interacting with the crowd, getting them going, putting on this larger-than-life persona. There’s fighting.
Then performing the stunts and choreography in the fight to a T. You can’t mess up, because it’s live. It’s high pressure improv. There’s nothing like that.
But with acting, there’s nothing like spending the time, getting into the head of the character. Doing the background and the layers and subtext, and what really makes this character tick. I’m fascinated, why do people do what people do? With acting, you not only get to explore yourself, but the human psyche. I love that too.
Then producing I love, because it’s like putting together all the pieces of the puzzle to make this beautiful masterpiece. It’s so challenging, because without one piece of the puzzle, you don’t have a picture. You need every little piece to make a motion picture. The challenge with that, connecting the dots, bringing people together, working as a team, communicating the dream, I enjoy that too.
SY: Do you have any upcoming wrestling and/or film projects that you can discuss?
FZ: I do have a sci-fi movie and a wrestling feature film that I have a supporting role in. We’re shooting in June, and it’s a female-driven action movie, called ‘The Sessionist.’. I’m excited about that. I’m producing the sci-fi movie, ‘Embryo,’ which is cute and fun, and is a creature-feature. I also have a slate of other projects that I’m developing. I’m going to keep producing, and make things happen.
Written by: Karen Benardello
