If you'd worked as body doubles for the likes of Charlize Theron, Cara Delevingne and X-Men's Rebecca Romijn like world-famous Canadian trainer Monique Ganderton has, it's safe to say you'd know a thing or two about what it takes to make an actress look like a highly trained killer, fighter...
In 1985, I made a transition from martial arts and kickboxing to a full time career as a stuntwoman. In 1982, I had moved from Pensacola, Florida to Los Angeles, California for several reasons. One, my sanctioning body, the WKA (World Karate Association) based out of Westminster, CA was working hard to promote me as a fighter.
Becoming a stuntwoman is especially difficult in an industry where men often play female characters. But more performers are breaking through.
A woman is doubled over on a platform, clutching her stomach. She screams, then flops 4.5 metres (15ft) on to a giant airbag. To my left, a dozen people...
Picture a job that requires long hours, dangerous physical tasks, a high risk of injury, and enduring discrimination and a lack of opportunity.
These are the challenges faced by black stuntwomen.
In a 2016 survey, 18 out of 43 stuntwomen said they’d experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, and 26 out...
When Johansson gets punched in the face, Heidi Moneymaker takes the hit. When Elizabeth Olsen crashes through a window, it’s C.C. Ice who ends up with scratches. Hollywood’s most unsung behind-the-scenes heroes star in a Hollywood Reporter photo portfolio. Meet the Stuntwomen who help stars kickass.
You may not know their names or even their faces, but if you watch TV, go to the movies, or play video games, you know their work. Female Stuntwomen have been making on-screen magic happen for decades, masterminding and performing the car chases, bare-knuckle brawls, and wirework that take...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgTi2qa34BY
There are a small number of gutsy Hollywood stars who insist on doing their own stunt work. But because most A-listers are happy to hand the really dangerous stuff over to the professionals, stunt doubles are always in demand in Tinseltown.
Unfortunately, not every stunt has a happy ending....
Extreme dangers of the job: With seasoned pros stretched thin, productions are hiring haphazardly and cutting corners as stunt performers go public with complaints that union regulations have “no teeth” and new oversight may not go nearly far enough, Scott Johnson reports in the Hollywood Reporter:
Changing dynamics from within: For...
Stuntwoman Ming Qiu has an impressive lineup of films including Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill, and Ultraviolet. Inside Kung Fu magazine saluted her as their 2006 Woman of the Year. In a recent interview, the veteran wushu champion quickly brushed aside any suggestions of celebrity. “I’m a very low key person,” she insisted.