WWE Hall of Famers Nikki and Brie Garcia, known collectively as The Bella Twins, recently opened up about the significant stigma they faced from mainstream brands and media outlets because of their background in professional wrestling. Despite their rising popularity, the twins had to fight for respect and legitimacy outside of the ring.
During the height of their fame, which was amplified by the success of their E! reality shows Total Divas and Total Bellas, the Garcias were crossing over into mainstream pop culture. However, as Nikki explained on a recent episode of SiriusXM’s The Nikki and Brie Show, their wrestling careers were often seen as a hindrance by the fashion and entertainment industries.
“It was crazy how like certain stylists wouldn’t dress us because they were like, ‘Oh, they’re pro wrestlers,’ or there were certain brands that wouldn’t lend us clothes because they were like, ‘Well, we don’t dress pro wrestlers,'” Nikki stated. “We really had to fight hard in that world to show them that there was so much more to female pro wrestlers, that we weren’t just what they saw in the ring.”
Brie pointed out the hypocrisy they often encountered from media outlets. While some brands looked down on their profession, they would simultaneously ask them to perform wrestling moves during interviews for a cheap pop. “They would be like that, but then they would realize pro wrestlers, their charisma and how loud we are, but they’re like in a segment then would want us to like body slam someone or do a suplex,” Brie said. “It was like one minute, you know.”
Nikki also noted that they had to contend with what she felt was performative marketing from brands claiming to support female empowerment. “A lot of brands kind of use like, ‘We love strong women and women empowerment,’ but you realize they were just using it as marketing,” Nikki explained. “They really didn’t actually want strong empowering women… when it came to actually using the girls that were that, it was like, ‘Oh, wait, wait, we really don’t want them to be that strong.'”
Ultimately, the Garcias feel their reality shows were instrumental in breaking down those barriers by showcasing the many facets of their lives. “We showed them how women can kick ass,” Nikki said. “We could go do a sport that’s dominated by males, but then we could go be moms, we could go be career women… we can handle it all.”
Nikki and Brie Garcia are continuing to expand their media empire. It was recently announced that they are partnering with SiriusXM to launch Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7, a new full-time channel dedicated to professional wrestling content, which will feature their show alongside other programs like Busted Open.
