Becky Lynch Spills on Star Trek Role, Happy Gilmore 2 Drama, and Backstage WWE Betrayals

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Becky Lynch, who had been away from wrestling for almost a year, has returned to the WWE. Her comeback took place at WrestleMania, where she and her fellow Irish protegee, Lyra Valkyria (the current Women’s Intercontinental Champion), won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships together.

Lych explains that she had initially planned for a three-month break during summer when her contract expired. She thought, ‘This seems like an excellent opportunity to relax and accomplish some personal tasks.’ However, other commitments arose – she was working on ‘Star Trek’ and then ‘Happy Gilmore’. There were discussions about returning around the time of Rumble, but at the last moment, she developed a skin condition. The next major event was WrestleMania, so it seemed logical, particularly if I could remove Bayley from the equation and dash her dreams. It felt twice as clever.

A week post WrestleMania, Lynch stepped into the ring during “Monday Night Raw” and happily admitted to attacking Bayley in order to become her tag team partner for Valkyria at Mania. Despite being part of an unofficial wrestling quartet known as “The Four Horsewomen,” Lynch emphasizes that fans often misjudge the true extent of their friendship.

She clarifies that when they were rising to prominence as “The Four Horsewomen,” they weren’t a tightly knit group. When people refer to “The Four Horsewomen,” it doesn’t mean we formed a faction or had a secret bond. Instead, we were determined women who aimed to disrupt the status quo, revolutionize wrestling, and establish ourselves as top stars in the industry, irrespective of gender.

From the beginning of their time at NXT, Lynch notes that Bayley didn’t seem to share the same relentless ‘win-at-all-costs’ attitude as the other Horsewomen. Instead, she appeared more focused on being liked by everyone. In 2014, I gave her a tough beating, and the audience loved it. Conversely, in 2019, Bayley attacked me with a chair, and our relationship has been hostile ever since. In fact, we have become rivals in one way or another.

Twice I’ve been invited to participate in a War Games team which wasn’t suitable for me, as people believed that I was the right person to manage Bayley due to my abilities, Lynch explains. Now, everyone is stunned by my attack on a woman I’ve long been competing against? Notably, ‘Damage CTRL’ had no control over any damage at all. In fact, they managed absolutely zero damage. The mission was unsuccessful because Bayley usually falters in her missions.

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I found myself twice drafted into a War Games team that wasn’t fitting for me, as people thought I could handle Bayley due to my skills, Lynch states. Now, it seems everyone is taken aback by my assault on a woman I’ve been competing with for years? It’s worth mentioning that ‘Damage CTRL’ had no impact whatsoever in terms of damage control. To clarify, they didn’t manage any damage at all. The mission ended up failing because Bayley often struggles in her missions.

Initially, it appeared that Lynch’s plan was flawless: she managed to sideline Bayley and stepped in as Lyra Valkyria’s partner in tag team wrestling, snatching the titles from long-standing rivals Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. However, fortune didn’t favor Lynch as Morgan and Rodriguez were given another chance the very next day on “Monday Night Raw.” During this rematch, Valkyria made a mistake, leading to them losing the tag titles after barely holding onto them for a day.

Lyra reversed everything I’d achieved immediately following my double championship win, as Lynch lamented. After all, what else could I do but express frustration by flipping out?

Lynch isn’t unfamiliar with the demands of being a double champion; in 2019, she became the first woman to hold both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships at once in the WrestleMania main event. As a meticulous athlete with a championship background, Lynch finds Valkyria spoiling her glorious comeback less than ideal.

Lynch proudly asserts, ‘I’m recognized as the top female professional wrestler ever, and it’s not just my opinion.’ There are records to back this up; Sports Illustrated published a ranking, and she wasn’t included. However, there was a list titled ‘The 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers of All Time,’ and unsurprisingly, she made the cut. In contrast, no other woman appeared on that list, but she did.

The rivalry reached its peak, and it was confirmed: mentor will face protege for the Intercontinental Title at “Backlash.” On a recent episode of “Monday Night Raw,” Valkyria told Lynch she believes herself to be a superior wrestler, also hoping they could improve as individuals. However, Lynch disagrees with the Champion’s perspective on their relationship.

Lynch emphasizes that we should examine Lyra’s past performances. “Let’s delve into this matter,” he suggests, “because Lyra claimed she is a superior wrestler to me, yet after winning the Intercontinental Title, she lost the next two matches. If she’s so great, why didn’t she keep that title? Her defeat should make her feel ashamed. She ought to be sitting with her head in her hands, weeping.

Later on, she mounts Bayley beside her as if they’re teaming up for WrestleMania, without even giving me a thought,” she says. “I had always tried to be kind and supportive, but this situation has been brewing in the background. Now that you’ve mentioned it, my frustration is starting to boil over. It’s hard to believe how much I’ve been treated unfairly when I look at everything I’ve done for her.

Regarding whether they can save their relationship, Lynch indicates that it’s up to Valkyria to make the next move.

Lynch remarks, “It seems to be falling on her, given the circumstances. In truth, I’ve been the one repeatedly targeted. She’s consistently lashed out at my integrity, labeling me a terrible person. Conversely, I’ve merely called her misguided and suggested she’s influenced poorly. I’ve expressed that she’s ungrateful and disrespectful, which she clearly is, but I haven’t launched personal attacks against her character to the extent she has against mine.

What she might hope for reconciliation could be something like: “If she’s open to humbling herself, express genuine remorse, and acknowledge my greatness by saying ‘I’m truly sorry, Becky. I now understand that you are exceptional, and I appreciate all the wonderful things about you. I recognize that my life wouldn’t be what it is today without you. I am grateful for every bite of food I eat, as I get to enjoy it thanks to the money I earn from wrestling, which I could not make without your dedication to your craft. I appreciate everything you have sacrificed and endured so that I can pursue my dreams. And I’m thankful for the guidance you provided me, enabling me to achieve success in a way that wouldn’t be as significant as yours.’

After the events of “Backlash,” should my standing with Valkyria change in any way, I am prepared and eager to uphold my title as the Women’s Intercontinental Champion whenever that role is mine again.

Many NXT wrestlers have moved to ‘Raw.’ Giulia, Stephanie [Vaquer] and Roxanne [Perez], they’re all relatively new,” Lynch clarifies. “Sure, let them enjoy my company. If they aspire to advance, I will choose the right moment and location, and I will challenge them, demonstrating what they still need to learn. They’ll improve as a result, because you gain more knowledge from a loss than you ever do from a victory.

Despite her expertise in training wrestlers, Lynch was thrilled to observe professionals at work in a new field: acting. In December 2024, Lynch announced that she had become part of the cast for the forthcoming “Star Trek” prequel series titled “Starfleet Academy.

She expresses uncertainty about sharing much detail, but reveals that it was an incredibly memorable experience for her. As part of the bridge crew, she found filming on the set to be breathtakingly impressive – one of the best sets she’s ever encountered. Working alongside director and writer Alex Kurtzman was a delight, and learning from him was invaluable. Additionally, Paul Giamatti and Holly Hunter were also part of the cast, simply being around them and working with them was an unforgettable experience.

Lynch admits she wasn’t a dedicated ‘Trek’ enthusiast before starting the series, but she grew up in a household where ‘Star Trek’ was frequently played. She explains, “In Ireland, ‘Star Trek’ was one of the two shows often broadcast on our limited four television channels, so it was usually playing somewhere in the house. I didn’t necessarily watch it regularly, but I enjoyed the movies and, let me tell you, we all adore Colm Meaney; whenever he appeared, you’d make sure to tune in.

In her debut within the expansive “Star Trek” realm, Lynch had the opportunity to bring her own family, which includes her husband (also WWE wrestler Seth Rollins) and their 4-year-old daughter Roux, into the “Trek” universe. One day, they visited the set, and while Roux might have been a bit overawed by the scale of everything, it was an incredible experience.

During her wrestling hiatus, “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” was among the projects Lynch worked on. Recently, she announced via Instagram that she has a secret part in the upcoming “Happy Gilmore 2,” set to debut on Netflix on July 25.

She exclaims, “That film set was phenomenal! The universe I got to explore was absurdly delightful, full of wonder, and incredibly enjoyable. Spending time there was extraordinary, getting to witness Adam Sandler in action as a star, yet so humble and considerate towards everyone. The environment he creates on set is astounding, and then he’s revising lines, assisting the director – he’s involved in everything! It’s mesmerizing to observe.

Lynch isn’t the only wrestler in “Happy Gilmore 2.” Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) from All Elite Wrestling is also part of the movie. During filming, it seems they did meet. He was quite pleasant and our conversations were enjoyable. Of course, he’d admit that he’d lose any wrestling promo battle to him, but we had great discussions. Sadly, this encounter took place before recent events, but I believe MJF would wholeheartedly agree with my sentiments about Lyra.

Starfleet Academy” and “Happy Gilmore 2” aren’t her debut roles in acting. She earned a theater arts degree from the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2012, performed stunts on “Vikings” before gaining WWE fame, and also played wrestling fan Cyndi Lauper in an episode of “Young Rock.” (This version aims to simplify the sentence structure and use more common language.)

She expresses her fondness for teamwork in the acting field, stating that it’s all about the creative collaboration. She finds joy in working with various individuals, exchanging ideas, and watching them materialize on set. Since acting is a live performance, there’s only one chance to get things right. Fortunately, she thrives under pressure, being a one-take performer.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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2025-05-11 00:12