Shirt: @shopherfruit, Skirt: @susanbendernewyork, Shoes: @brian_atwood
Talent: CJ Perry
Photography, Creative Direction, and Production by: Mike Ruiz
Editor-in-Chief: Dimitri Vorontsov
Stylist: Melvin Styles
Makeup: R Pro Makeup Artist
Hair: Dicky Collins
Journalist: Lola Jarzemsky
Location: Los Angeles, California
Bodysuit/Skirt: @baotranchi, Shoes: @louboutinworld
Best known as WWE Superstar “Lana” for the past decade, CJ Perry Barnyashev recently appeared opposite Bruce Willis and Frank Grillo in the sci-fi feature Cosmic Sin for Netflix and is seen in the thriller Wifelike opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Elena Kampouris for Paramount+. Raised in Latvia, the former Soviet Union instilled discipline & work ethic. CJ is a lover of adventure, storytelling & the arts. She began dancing at a professional level at the age of 10 with the Latvian National Ballet before moving to NYC at 17 to dance with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre & Ballet Hispanico. Her additional feature credits include Interrogation for Lionsgate, Another Version of You on Amazon Prime, Pitch Perfect 1 & 2 for Universal, and a lead role in the indie SOUL. CJ also established herself in the reality TV space by starring in 3 seasons of Total Divas for E!, and she will be appearing on the reboot of Surreal Life on VH1 and Paramount Plus this fall.
Tell us more about Wifelike.
Wifelike is a Sci-Fi movie about love and loss, and how AI can be built to fill those human holes in us, but never quite gets there. In the movie, women are created to be the perfect wife and be the perfect partner. My character, Holly, is one of the few human women in the movie, and she isn’t afraid to stand up and speak her mind. Jonathan Reece Myers, Elena Kampouris star in the movie and were a joy to work with.
How did you prepare for the role of Holly?
In general, I never stop preparing for future roles. My week is packed with reading scripts for future projects, acting classes, stunt classes, kickboxing classes, wrestling and tons of gym time. I have also been working on a lot of knife training, bo staff training & martial arts training. I see my immediate future in the action genre, which was why I was so excited to get Wifelike.
Bodysuit/Skirt: @baotranchi, Shoes: @louboutinworld
What was it like working with director, James Bird, for Wifelike?
He was amazing. He was so kind and had such a vision for the movie. Sci-Fi can be tricky because it’s a very visual genre that can live and die on the look and feel of the world that’s being created. I felt James had an amazing take on how to get his world on screen in the best way possible with the tools he had available to him.
Did you like working within the Sci-Fi genre?
I absolutely love it. I have been a huge Star Wars and Star Trek fan ever since I was a young girl. I used to watch Star Trek every Sunday with my mom and brother. Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite Marvel Movie. Basically, if there’s a spaceship or a droid in it, I’m there!
Top: @elainehersby, Collar/Cuff: @giyeabynina
How did you first get into WWE?
In September 2012, I got a tryout for WWE. It was a worldwide Diva Search where thousands of the most beautiful, the most athletic, the most talented, the most charismatic women came in and auditioned. Triple H and other WWE executives showed up at one of the final callbacks and selected 12 girls to go to a month long boot camp to learn basic wrestling moves. They signed five of us women to WWE NXT. I got the call that I got signed on my birthday!
How was your time on Surreal Life?
Absolutely insane !!!! I can’t believe I got cast on that show! It’s coming out at the end of October so stay tuned to see the reboot of Surreal Life! It’s been over 15 years since the last time they aired the show! It’s wild! Probably the most insane thing I have done in my life. It will be on VH1, MTV and Paramount Plus!
Top: @elainehersby, Collar/Cuff: @giyeabynina
Did your background of dance help you in the world of WWE?
Absolutely. Everything leading up to WWE in my life helped define my success in WWE. Dance taught me how to have charisma & confidence in front of a live crowd. Breakdancing specifically taught me how to listen to the fans and crowd. Acting classes in LA taught me how to be a character and how to tell a story through speaking vs telling a story through movement like dancers do. I truly believe that’s why I accelerated fast in WWE as a character that played a Russian villain. All those acting and dance classes paid off!
Dress: @feleppaofficial, Shoes: @louboutinworld
What has been your favorite WWE memory?
Oddly enough, it was being slammed through the commentary table nine weeks in a row. Other amazing times were: going through cakes during both my on-screen weddings! Dance battles that went viral, and everything I did with my husband Miro. I went from being the most hated Russian villain, to arriving in a literal tank for our Wrestlemania entrance when my husband faced John Cena. I guess I don’t have one favorite memory, there are too many that I will treasure in my heart forever. Beyond grateful for my storytelling time with WWE.
You are starring in The Remnant: Populus Piratica. Tell us a little more about this short. You are producing your first movie
It’s another fantastic Sci-Fi film about how technology is taking over the world. Sounds like a documentary now that I say it, but I don’t want to let too much out of the bag before the audience gets a chance to see it!
Bodysuit/Skirt: @baotranchi, Shoes: @louboutinworld
When did you know you wanted to pursue acting?
Since I was a little girl. I just never had the opportunity too. In ballet, we were acting without words. All the classical ballets I did in Russia were stories about love, broken hearts, revenge and the good guy saving the day. That is the same with Hollywood. When I moved out to Hollywood in my early 20s I got into some of the best acting classes immediately. Being in WWE really helped my acting as well. It gave me a place to act every single week on Live TV playing a Russian Villain. Often I would get the verbiage just a couple hours before we went live, no second take. It was sink or swim time. That built confidence in me and also taught me how to commit to a character unapologetically and make bold choices.
Who has been your favorite director/cast member to work with so far?
Anna Kendrick was amazing in both Pitch Perfect films. She is such a hard worker, she always showed up overly prepared no matter how many other movies she was juggling. John Cena and The Rock were amazing to work with in WWE. They taught me so much about listening to the crowd, taking your time, and most importantly, taking calculated risks. And of course working with Bruce Willis on Cosmic Sin was amazing.
Bodysuit/Skirt: @baotranchi, Shoes: @louboutinworld
What would you tell your younger self, if you could?
Relax. Enjoy the process because the destination is just a quick stop compared to the journey.
What genre would you like to act in? Why?
I would love to act in the action genre space or action comedy genre. It would be an absolute dream to land an action franchise. I love when we can tell stories through physicality, fights, words, and cinema. The way the John Wick franchise, Atomic Blonde, and Into The Badlands told stories while using all those elements was phenomenal. Of course landing a part in the Star Wars series, Marvel or DC series is the ultimate dream. But I don’t put dreams in a box. I am open to all possibilities.
What are your goals for the next few years?
I have so many. I want to direct, I want to finish the movies I am producing and have them be great movies. I want my movies to go to top film festivals and win awards. I want to become a mother, I want to do something great in wrestling again, I want to help our homeless problem in America and the world, I want to write a book. The sky is the limit! I also want to breathe the fresh air and watch more sunsets with my family. We only have one life in this world so we can’t forget to live it.
