Chyna was born Joan Marie Laurer on December 27, 1969. While she is best known for her sterling career in professional wrestling, she also has a career in acting and modeling. Growing up in an affluent family, Chyna left for Spain when she was 16 to study on a United Nations scholarship. She went on to finish a degree in Spanish literature at University of Tampa, graduating in 1992. With her background and skills, she was sent to Costa Rica by the Peace Corps to teach literacy.
In the professional wrestling circuit, Chyna is best known for being the first woman to ever enter a royal rumble contest. After an illustrious career, she fought her final match and retired on October 26, 2002.
Outside wrestling, Chyna has appeared in episodes of Fear Factor and Hollywood Squares. The Playboy issue in which she appeared nude reportedly became one of the ten best-selling issues in the magazine's history. In 2005, Chyna was arrested for allegedly beating up semi-retired wrestler Sean Waltman, whom she dated since 2003.
In 2005, Chyna was cast in VH1 show
The Surreal Life season 4. The show features celebrities who are said to be past their primes and puts them in a Hollywood Hills mansion for two weeks. As if this is not enough, unforgiving cameras also follow their every move. The challenges for this season include the cast starring in their own kung-fu movie and riding horses. In one intense episode, Waltman dropped unexpectedly on the mansion and refused to leave without Chyna. He threatened to grind the whole thing into a halt. After the show, she has maintained good ties with model
Adrianne Curry and even made a brief cameo on the spin off which followed Curry's love affair with fellow housemate and actor
Christopher Knight ,
My Fair Brady .
(Photo courtesy of VH1)