WZ.com Note: You can listen to the audio version of our interview with Stacy Keibler HERE.
Stacy Keibler is a busy woman.
Not that she wasnât busy before. As a WWE Diva, she had an extensive travel schedule around the world. In fact, that was a major factor in her deciding to leave the company.
âI left the business because of the lifestyle,â Keibler said. âA lot of people will tell you how hard it is to be on the road.
âYou donât have a car or hotel paid for. You get dropped off on a Friday and you have to get around the state. A different city each night. You are away from friends and family. It was really tiring. I wanted to be more normal and sleep in my own bed every night.â
Nonetheless, that hectic travel schedule and appearances around the world increased her profile and her status as a celebrity. Soon, the producers of Dancing with the Stars called. Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn gave their blessing.
âDancing with the Stars was a huge stepping stone,â Keibler said. âThat really opened up doors for me. My dream has always been to be an actress.â
Stacy soon gained her first taste of mainstream attention on the popular ABC show. Television development deals were offered. She never returned to WWE.
âActually, that was my decision before Dancing with the Stars,â Keibler recalled. âI was going to take a year off. It was great timing when the show came because I would have been any other blonde walking around the streets of Los Angeles. I thank my lucky stars.
âWhen Dancing with the Stars was going to end, I would only have two months left on my contract. Halfway through, WWE wanted to renegotiate my contract.â
Keibler still wanted the sabbatical from the hectic travel and an opportunity to explore the doors opened by her success on Dancing with the Stars.
âIt was as simple as wanting First Class airfare. They asked me who I thought I was. They told me I was no different than any other Diva,â Keibler said.
âBut 30 million people were watching the show. I could not go anywhere without people excited about the show coming up to meet me. All I wanted was the protection of having First Class. They said, â~absolutely not.â Plus, they didnât want to give me any more money.
âSo, it was an easy decision for me.â
Now a full-time actor with two development deals, Keibler takes her career very seriously.
âWhen Iâm not working, Iâm in acting class three or four times a week,â Keibler said. âAnd I have made a career of saying no to things. Instead of seeing me everywhere falling on my face, Iâve said no to lots of things. I have tried to pick very good projects and do very good characters.â
Keiblerâs selective approach also includes saying ânoâ to any role involving nudity.
âItâs not something I want to do. Itâs not who I am. Itâs not a part of my personality. I recently turned down a part in a movie and many other roles that would have been awesome parts and could be stepping-stones. But itâs not what I represent.â
Turning down roles does not mean that Stacy Keibler will not be appearing on a television near you. She is featured in the upcoming ABC Family miniseries, âSamurai Girl,â debuting on the first weekend of September.
âWithout giving too much away, I have such a great character that shows up halfway through. I bring a lot of surprises and stir the pot. I do some sword fighting and martial arts. It was such a different character for me to play and sink my teeth into.â
To promote âSamurai Girl,â Keibler will be appearing this Friday at a 1:30 autograph signing at the San Diego ComicCon.
âI am so excited to go to ComicCon because itâs the first chance I have to reconnect with my wrestling fans,â Keibler said. âI will be at the ABC Family booth (#3913). I want everyone to come by and bring whatever they have for me to sign.â
And if you canât make it to ComicCon, check out eBay where Keibler will be auctioning off her outfits from her wrestling diva days.
âI have been asked if I would ever sell my stuff, so I will be putting things up for auction every couple of weeks. I want to give back to my fans. A portion of the money will go to various charities.â
Even though she is giving up some tangible items and even though she has transitioned into a successful acting career, Keibler still has a soft spot for the wrestling business.
âIt was a great chapter of my life. I grew up in the business. I made friends. I had life experiences that people three times my age will never have.â
As far as a return to the WWE, Keibler never says never.
âI entered it when I was 19 years old. It doesnât get any better than traveling around the world and walking out to fans screaming your name. I will never do anything again where I will get a rush like that.â
