The fiercest woman in the world is stepping out of the Octagon and onto the screen. The long-time, but now former, UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey seems to be out to prove if her brand of loud-mouthed showmanship can carry her beyond athletics.
Last month, Universal Pictures bought the rights to a film called Do Nothing Bitches. Produced by Paula Pell and Tina Fey, the movie’s plot details are scarce right now. But rumors are that Fey will star as a lazy housewife whipped into shape by a ferocious trainer — Rousey. The title stems from a UFC interview where Rousey described the type of helplessness she detests:
“I have this one term for the kind of woman that my mother raised me not to be and I call it a ‘do nothing bitch’ … The kind of chick that just tries to be pretty and be taken care of by somebody else.”
The phrase has found it’s way onto clothing and even into a Beyoncé performance.
Since she hit the professional mixed martial arts scene in 2010, Rousey’s career has been something of a whirlwind — knockout punches punctuated by stinging insults.
“This fight is more than just about an athletic competition. It’s about proving a point and punishing someone,” she said before her August fight against Bethe Correia in Rio de Janeiro. “I’m happy to come down here while I discipline this girl.”
But while it took just 34 seconds to knock Correia out, the Brazilian fighter did have something to say about Rousey’s biting personality.
“She’s on her way to being a big Hollywood star,” Correia said.
And it’s happening rather quickly. In 2015, Rousey appeared in Entourage and Furious 7, and The Expendables 3 the previous year.
Outside of Do Nothing Bitch, she’s already slated to star in a remake of the 1989 cult classic Road House where she’ll play a no-nonsense bouncer at a scrappy bar, one of Patrick Swayze’s signature roles.
Rousey often plays the tough-as-nails character, and while it’s not too far from the real fighter, her numerous swimsuit photo shoots and public appearances have drawn criticism.
“I think its hilarious when people say my body looks masculine,” she said. “I think it’s femininely bad ass as f—. There’s not a single muscle on my body that’s not developed for a purpose because I’m not a do nothing bitch.”
And as such, Rousey isn’t waiting around for movies to propel her fame. As the host of Jan. 23’s Saturday Night Live episode, she confidently burst onto the stage wearing high heels, a tight dress and a wide smile. But instead of delivering the host’s traditional opening monologue, she performed a sketch of sorts, with cast members portraying UFC judges and a coach evaluating her ability to make the audience laugh. It felt like a poorly disguised attempt to keep the athlete from having to recite a monologue at all — concerning for anyone who wants to make it on the big screen.
The rest of the night gave more hope for a Rousey film legacy. Her acting in many of the sketches would have been on par with the rest of the cast, if not for the slightly amateurish and mumbled line delivery.
Even so, there’s a good chance Do Nothing Bitches can kick off a new career for Rousey, one that embraces and appreciates both her physical strength and pungent attitude. In this new arena, the athlete turned actress has found herself poised to prove why she’s a knockout success.
