The world of John Wick is growing with From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. The new movie features an old character played by a new but familiar actor and takes place in a murky place in the timeline. To help unravel the question of who exactly is the titular ballerina, we have answers to four of the most critical questions.
Who is Eve Macarro (the Ballerina)?
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Eve Macarro, played by Ana de Armas, Ballerina’s virtual ballerina, witnessed her father’s murder as a child. He was on the run and hiding from a murderous cult. He escaped, and after they had already caught and killed Eve’s mother as retribution, she and her father were next. He gave his life to let Eve escape. Shortly thereafter, Winston Scott, the Manager of the Continental Hotel in New York City, took Eve to the Ruska Roma and their Director, who gave her the choice to join their tribe.
As Eve grew up, she was trained as both a ballerina and a contract killer, with a specific focus on extractions and protecting wards. All the while, hatred festered for the people who killed her father, and when she discovered a man with the same scar on his wrist as the cultists. Against the wishes of the Director, Eve sets out to find out who the cult is and where she can find them to kill them herself.
What is the Ruska Roma?
The Ruska Roma is one of the twelve crime organizations that hold a seat at the High Table, the governing body of the world’s most powerful crime organizations. The Roma Ruska is a subgroup of Romani people from Russia and Belarus headquartered at the Tarkovsky Theater in New York City. They are the adoptive tribe of John Wick, who refers to him by his birth name, Jardani Jovanovic. Like all criminal organizations under the High Table, the Ruska Roma are subject to rigorous rules that dictate how they can and cannot operate, as well as the consequences for breaking those rules.
When does Ballerina take place?
Ballerina takes place somewhere roughly between the middle of John Wick 3 and the beginning of John Wick 4. Eve appeared briefly in John Wick 3 (played by Unity Phelon) when John goes to the Ruska Roma’s theater to seek the Director’s help whilst he is Excommunicado. Eve and John briefly meet again shortly thereafter. The timeline is unclear thereafter. Winston Scott is in good standing with the High Table, and John Wick is in good standing with the Ruska Roma when they appear in this movie. Specific technology that appears also alludes to the movie’s ending taking place after John Wick 4 has already begun.
What’s Eve’s relationship with John Wick?
Meeting John Wick changes the course of Eve’s life. He gives her certain advice that not only helps her make important decisions but also shapes the way she sees her responsibility in the world. While John is the Baba Yaha, the last man you see before you die, Eve was trained as a kikamaru. Her job is protection. Yes, also killing, but primarily, protecting. John, of course, also helps Eve understand the meaning of “consequences.”
Eve brings a whole new dimension to the John Wick universe with Ballerina. Her past, present, and potential future are similar but completely different from John’s. While they were both adopted into the violent world they inhabit and use their environments creatively for combat, Eve is much smaller than John. She has to fight dirtier and use her enemy’s size against them to win. She also makes use of a few fascinating weapons John has never been seen using before to do some extra heavy damage.
Eve, the ballerina, brings an exciting new component to the world of John Wick, with more to learn as you watch the movie.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is playing in theaters nationwide June 6, 2025.
