A Victoria woman who was bullied as a child has become a big star in the crazy world of Mexican wrestling.
Gordon Head-raised Kira Forster is a professional lucha libre wrestler. She’s famous in Mexico, where a new doll in her image is being launched this weekend. She appears in TV commercials. When she walks along the streets of Mexico City, where she now lives, Forster — known as “Taya” — is recognized regularly.
“Little kids will run out to me. Little kids will show up dressed like me. People have my T-shirts and my dolls and all that kind of stuff,” Forster said with a laugh.
In North America, lucha libre (literally “free wrestling”) isn’t particularly well known. The key pop-culture reference is the comedy movie Nacho Libre, with Jack Black as a caped Mexican wrestler.
But in Mexico, the sport is followed passionately by millions who watch it on weekly television broadcasts.
It’s both athletic and theatrical. Lucha libre wrestlers sometimes wear colourful masks. There are fierce rivalries, good guys and bad guys. The male wrestlers are called luchadores, the females are luchadoras.
Forster has two nicknames: Taya and Wera Loca (Crazy Blond). Her wrestling persona is a villain whose arch-rival is Faby (a.k.a. Faby Apache).
“I’m the bad foreigner who comes in and ruins her life,” Forster said. “I get booed and yelled at. That’s part of the job. If the audience isn’t doing that, then I’m not doing my job.”
Her look is dramatic: blond and red hair with a bandana, tights with cut-outs on the sides and fur boots. Forster, who is fiercely protective of her image, designs all her outfits.
It’s unusual for a foreigner to enter the ranks of lucha libre. It’s even more rare for a non-Latin American to achieve the success Forster has.
She’s employed by Lucha Libre AAA, a wrestling promotions company. She also has a contract with Lucha Underground, a wrestling TV series that airs in Mexico and the U.S. Forster just finished shooting episodes for Lucha Underground’s second season.
In 2014, she won the title of Reina de Reinas (Queen of Queens) at Triplemania XXII. Forster defeated Faby despite having her nose broken in two places by a kick to the face. Her victory photo shows bloodstains on her white fur boots.
“I’m the first-ever foreigner to have won this in 22 years of the company,” said Forster, who is also the longest-reigning champion.
“I’m the top girl. And I’ve had to fight my way tooth and nail to get here. I’m extremely proud to represent a foreigner that came into this crazy world.”
Forster attended Lansdowne Middle School and Mount Douglas Secondary.
“I was bullied a lot when I was 11 and 12 years old,” she recalled. “It was really bad. Kids can be mean, kids can be cruel.”
A self-described “over-achiever,” she originally wanted to be a ballerina. Forster studied at the Pacific Dance Centre and later with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Alberta Ballet. She also studied gymnastics and competed in fitness competitions.
In 2010, she trained with Lance Storm, a Canadian professional wrestler. After taking part in his reality TV series, World of Hurt, Forster started wrestling on Canada’s independent circuit.
She visited Mexico four years ago, intending to stay for six weeks. Then she met Perro Aguayo, a wrestler and promoter, who saw Forster’s potential and persuaded her to stay. Aguayo died in the ring last year.
“He was like my brother, my best friend, my mentor. He’s a huge reason I’m in the position I am today,” Forster said.
Her early days in Mexico were a culture shock. Forster describes herself as an outspoken, confident woman living in a culture where machismo still rules. However, her independent style is now accepted, she said.
Forster loves the life she has created in Mexico, in a career that combines sport and theatrics. It seems to Forster that her patchwork background was the perfect launching pad.
“I’m like: ‘Oh my god, everything I’ve ever done has led up to this moment.’ ”
