I would say movies all have their own world or reality they're built in.
Basically, I'd finished doing gymnastics when I was 15, 16, but I'd stayed training because I'd just sort of loved it, and I'd met a man by the name of Peter Bell - no relation - who it turns out was a stuntman in New Zealand.
I have come a long way from a girl with pigtails and acne showing up and going, 'Hey guys, I'm here! Where do you want me to fall over?'
I've always loved the collaborative side of filmmaking, and there's a lot of things I can do in the acting side of things in terms of the creating of action sequences, and coming up with ways of doing things with a stunt coordinator.
It never occurred to me that I'm intimidating.
Actors always ask their directors what their motivation is in this scene or that scene, so I've always had this joke where I ask the director what my motivation is too. As a stunt person your motivation is usually to fall over a bench or something.
If you're going to fight Tom Cruise, you really don't want to make that man bleed.
In our case, with 'Raze,' we had a really, really tight schedule. We shot something like 17 fights in three and a half weeks which is insane.
If it wasn't for 'Kill Bill' I probably would have been back in New Zealand three months after I left, and if it wasn't for 'Death Proof' I don't think I would be pursuing an acting career right now.
Don't be afraid girls. Power's awesome!
It turns out I do okay just playing an angry self-righteous woman.
There is an art to acting, and there are techniques that are acquired. You can be as emotional as you'd like, as a person, but figuring out ways that you can bring specific emotions at specific times and have them be true, and relating to someone as someone that they're not, is a lot.
I did drama at school and when I was doubling Xena, one time for my birthday mom and dad bought me an acting course 'cause I've always liked the performance side of anything.
Gore, like blood and guts and stuff, I am fine. Suspense, I get super sensitive. I can't handle it.
When I'm not focused, I'm quite possibly one of the more clumsy people on the planet. I'll walk into doorways and coffee tables.
I don't like hitting people in the face.
It's not until after you've been hit by a car and landed all right that the fear kicks in.
When I'm a stunt woman on a movie, I'm strictly a 'Yes sir,' girl... But acting puts more in your hands, and producing gives you more control still.
I'm not invincible.
As a performer, the more I scare the stunt coordinator, the better.
