Alison Brie Compares ‘GLOW’ Wrestling Shoots to Being in a Car Accident
She may be petite in stature, but actress Alison Brie from Netflix’s GLOW can really bring it in the ring. The 36-year old takes (and gives) quite a beating in her role as a struggling actress turned woman wrestler, which can be extremely physically taxing.
Brie literally tackled her role as Ruth Wilder, otherwise known as “Zoya the Destroya,” whose signature moves include the bread line and the sit-out facebuster. Both moves require significant finesse and strength, which Brie has in abundance.
Even though the wrestling moves are choreographed like a well-scripted ballet, the grueling workouts can take a toll on the actor’s bodies. Brie shared with Showbiz Cheat Sheet what it’s like to be on the receiving end of some of those intense moves. Plus, she talked about what she does to alleviate some of the pain she experiences.
No one gets hurt but …
Brie says no one actually gets hurt when they shoot the wrestling scenes for GLOW. But her body certainly takes a serious beating. “We’re not getting hurt but it does hurt,” she laughs. “No one is getting injured, but after we shoot a big match for 10 to 12 hours on the show, you do feel like you’ve been in a mild to a severe car accident.”
She shares that the ring is designed to offer a slight amount of cushion, but the actors still feel an impact. “The floor is a little bit padded, it has a little bit of give,” she says. “But definitely we’re throwing and being thrown, we’re throwing each other with our full body weight and landing on the mat. So a lot of our training is about how to land the right way.”
Brie also insists on staying in top shape, even between seasons to avoid having to start from scratch. “And a lot of work I do to prepare for the show has to do with strength training and muscle building to help to protect your body, your bones, and your joints.”
This is how she treats muscle soreness
Instead of popping Advil like Tic Tacs, Brie opts for a more natural approach to muscle pain and soreness. “A big part of working on the show has been being in touch with my body and helping it to recover as quickly as possible,” she shares.” So I’ve been using the Manitoba Harvest Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract with CBD as part of my nightly routine to help my muscles relax so I get better sleep so that I recover faster.”
Beyond helping with pain, she says CBD is mentally calming. “It calms the mind,” Brie says. “I feel like it’s two-fold when we’re working on the show. Where like on the one hand, we’re getting so banged up, but in a safe way, and at the same time you’re amped because there’s so much adrenaline that goes into being in the ring and doing a match. So on the nights we shoot that kind of stuff you get home and your brain is just buzzing but you have to be at work in 12 hours and you’re like, ‘Oh God, I gotta go to sleep!'”
She sometimes puts the CBD in her tea or just use the drops under her tongue and let it absorb into the system. She’s been using CBD for about six months and sees a difference in her muscle recovery. In addition to CBD, she includes Epsom salt baths and a deep tissue sports massage to combat muscle pain. Plus, she’ll add some magnesium in the evening to her routine too for an added benefit.
