Screen Sirens (Oscar Edition): Cassidy in “The Wrestler”

If you remember all the way back to last summer, we used a feature known as Screen Sirens to compare the lovely women of wrestling to certain female characters in film. Back then, we covered movies like Iron Man, Indiana Jones, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight. This time around, we’re taking advantage of Oscar season being in full swing, examining different Oscar-nominated roles and seeing which (if any) Divas or Knockouts match up with these critically acclaimed characters. You’ll probably never see a Diva win an Oscar (maybe a Razzie), so this is the closest you’ll get – relish it!

Today we’re looking at, coincidentally, a movie tied closely to professional wrestling – “The Wrestler”. Mickey Rourke (as Randy the Ram) may be receiving the biggest buzz, but I’m choosing to focus on the role of Cassidy, played by Marisa Tomei and nominated for an Oscar in the “Best Supporting Actress” category. Cassidy is a single mother and full-time stripper, befriending the lonely and down-on-his-luck wrestler. Within the walls of the local strip club, she provides an attentive ear and a caring demeanor. Randy seems to always turn to her when he needs advice or someone to talk to – it’s clear that Cassidy is the closest thing he has to a true friend.

Now, she’s much more than your standard “hooker with a heart of gold” – she’s working to support her son and clearly cares about Randy’s well being, but she’s not going to become a doormat for him. She sticks up for herself and refuses to turn the relationship into something she deems unprofessional. She’s fallible, as everyone in the film is, but when it seems as though everyone in Randy’s life has turned him away, she’s there. As she says in the film, “I’m really here.” She’s Randy’s one connection to the world outside of wrestling, for better or for worse.

So, which Diva/Knockout/etc. would best fit this role? Well, when I watched the film, there’s one woman that Cassidy reminded me of – Dawn Marie. That’s not to say I view Dawn as a stripper, but Marisa Tomei’s uncanny resemblance to her, as well as Dawn’s association with some of the less glamorous sides of wrestling, make for some eery parallels. Melanie even suggested that the character of Cassidy could have been modeled after Dawn Marie, as Randy the Ram could have been modeled after Mick Foley. Those things said, I feel it’d be tough to find a Diva that would fit that role better than her.

See for yourself:
• Find out more about “The Wrestler”.
• Find out more about Marisa Tomei.

So what do you think? Do you disagree with my opinion? Do you think another Knockout or Diva would better fit this role? Sound off in the comments!

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