Women fighting appears to be the theme lately. First there was stuntwoman Zoë Bell’s (Kill Bill,Xena Warrior Princess)viral video compilationof famous actresses getting into a (very well choreographed) fight with each other, then came an announcement of a documentary about the stuntwomen who have put their lives on the line throughout Hollywood history.The latter is a Michelle Rodriguez narrated documentary calledStuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story.It explores the lives of the women called upon to perform some of Hollywood’s most dangerous action sequences. Many of those stunts are in iconic movies ranging from the silent movies to modern blockbusters.
Stunt actors are a vital part of movies and television, performing actions deemed too difficult or dangerous for the featured actors to perform. Getting thrown through a window, taking a punch, driving at top speed, or even just slipping and falling on their bum: stuntmen and women are on hand to do it correctly and most importantly, safely. Tom Cruise has become famous for doing his own stunts, but for the majority of actors, even a relatively minor injury can create a costly pause in production. Even when actors are eager to do a stunt, they’re often not allowed to because if they did, it would put the production’s insurance at risk.
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Stuntwomenis based on a 2015 book by Mollie Gregory that chronicles the lives of women who perform stunts in Hollywood. Rodriguez, best known for her role inThe Fast and Furiousfranchise, meets some of the stuntwomen that have played her in movies. The documentary also explores themes of sexism, harassment and equality in the workplace and features interviews with other famous names in Hollywood.
The documentary is also spearheaded by Rodriguezwho serves as executive producer on the with film historian Ben Mankiewicz giving historical context. Directors Paul Verhoeven, Paul Feig and Anne Fletcher and producer Al Ruddy give insight from the directors chair and behind the scenes, but the real stars are the stunt women interviewed. They include Julie Ann Johnson (Charlie’s Angels), Jadie David (Escape from L.A.); Jeannie Epper (Wonder Woman), Debbie Evans (The Fast and the Furious), Deven McNair (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Donna Evans (Total Recall), Donna Keegan (True Lies), Amy Johnston (Suicide Squad), Alyma Dorsey (Captain Marvel), Heidi Moneymaker (Captain America: Civil War), Keisha Tucker (Black Panther), Jessie Graff (Wonder Woman), Angela Meryl (Skyfall), Cheryl Lewis (Luke Cage), Jennifer Caputo (The Amazing Spider-Man) and Kelly Roisin (Venom).
