Lana Dremire
Nicole Walsh (born on April 12th, 1978), better known by her ring name, Lana Dremire, is an American professional wrestling valet and a former pornographic actress, best known for her appearances in New Frontier Wrestling from 2001-2009 as the valet of Castor Strife. She has also appeared in 21 pornographic films under the name Brittany Steele.
Stats
Ring Name(s) Lana Dremire
Billed Height 5'4
Billed Weight 105
Born April 12, 1978 (age 32) Stratford, Connecticut
Resides Los Angeles, California
Billed from Hollywood, California
Debut 2001
Retired 2009
Early Life and Career
Walsh is noted as being a former honor student at Stratford High School, where she graduated in 1996. By summer, she enrolled at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, where she spent a semester training for certification in television anchoring. Poor attendance and behavioral issues (including a DUI arrest) led to subpar grades and she dropped out by the Spring. Her weekend job as a bartender at a popular New Haven nightclub eventually put her in contact with the owner of a nearby strip club, where she began working in May of 1997. By the summer, she was dating the owner and moved with him to Los Angeles, CA where she would be one of the premiere dancers at his new strip club. More arrests would follow, one for disorderly conduct and another for possession of narcotics. Walsh was sentenced to 300 hours of community service, and her boyfriend would do a prison stint. Soon, the club was closed and she was out of work. It was by the following Spring that she would begin her career in pornographic films.
Pornographic Film Career
Famed porn producer Jay Grdina discovered Walsh during her time in LA, and began casting her in pornographic films as Brittany Steele. Walsh's first pornographic film appearances were strictly lesbian scenes (a common way of easing women into the business). By the end of 1998, she had completed three films and was already doing heterosexual scenes. 1999 was a breakout year, as she starred in such films as "Dug Out," "Nutbusters: Volume 9," and "Spacial Facials," as well as eight other films distributed by Vivid Video. For her work, she won the 1999 AVN Award for "Best New Starlet," and was nominated in two other categories including "Best Actress--Video," and "Best Tease Performance."
2000 brought a mixed bag of continued success and more trouble. On July 11th, 2000, Walsh was again arrested on charges of possession, this time for cocaine. She would enter a rehab clinic for three weeks before checking herself out. Nevertheless, Vivid Video was promoting her as one of their top talents, booking her to dance for upwards of $10,000 per night at various strip clubs and casting her in more films. She would go on to win the 2000 AVN Award for "Best All Girl Sex Scene--Video," for her work alongside co-star Alisha Klass. She also received a nomination for "Female Performer of the Year."
New Frontier Wrestling (2001-2005)
In 2001, Walsh was offered a contract to work as a professional wrestling valet named Lana Dremire in New Frontier Wrestling. She was brought in specifically to work with Castor Strife, a new talent that was being pushed as a cult porn director. According to Walsh, NFW management believed her credentials in the porno industry would make for a dynamic pairing with the distinct camera presence of Strife. Although a newcomer to the wrestling business, Walsh would catch on quickly under the tutelage of Strife, Michael Manson, and fellow valet Rayne.
NFW signed Walsh to a six-figure deal for the entirety of Ultratitle Season 1. She would continue to manage Strife and appear in segments as well. Her on-screen role would be continuously increased until Week 10, when it was announced that Castor Strife would end his duties in the ring to become Chairman of the Eastern Conference. Lana Dremire continued to appear in segments, but not as frequently as before. At Crash 20, she appeared in a segment called, "The Mike Manson Sex Tape" where she engaged in on-screen sexual acts with Manson entourage Snow White while Strife filmed it. This would be the last major appearance on NFW TV for Lana Dremire, as she only appeared sparingly thereafter.
During her time in NFW, Walsh gained a notorious backstage reputation for drug use and lewd acts involving other wrestlers. At the conclusion of Season 1, NFW declined to pick up her option for the following season.
Lawsuit
On June 5, 2005, one day after NFW kicked officially began Ultratitle Season 2, Walsh filed a $13 million lawsuit against the company, citing allegations of sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions. NFW denied the allegations, and many former wrestlers came out publicly against Walsh claiming the allegations were unfounded. Eventually Walsh reduced the amount of damages she was seeking, and settled with NFW out of court for an undisclosed amount in November of 2006. It is believed Walsh received upwards of $2 million, though this is unconfirmed.
Return to NFW (2008-2009)
After another stint in rehab, Walsh returned to NFW as Lana Dremire in the fall of 2008, signing a one year contract reportedly worth $92,000. She credits Castor Strife as bridging the gap between her and NFW management.
On Marchy 15th, 2009, Dremire appeared on NFW TV for the first time in four years, escorting Strife and his Bold New Disaster stablemates, Problem Child and Jimmy Mylde, to the ring at Crash 47 in Chicago, Illinois against the Sicilian SWAT Team. She would also appear at Crash 48, this time having her unconscious body used as a projectile by Strife. More appearances in taped segments would follow until she was worked out of the picture by being sent to the New Beginnings Recovery Treatment Center in Hollywood, California. She would soon be replaced on television by the much younger Blanche Barnett. Part of the reason for this was Walsh's kayfabe rehab stint, now the third time in four years. When her contract came up for renewal, NFW once again declined.