

One of the most emotional segments of the annual SAG Awards ceremony is the “In Memoriam.” Netflix will live stream the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday with host Kristen Bell.
Among the Oscar winners and nominees who will have their lives celebrated are Teri Garr, Louis Gossett, Jr., James Earl Jones, David Lynch, Joan Plowright, Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith, and honorary recipient Donald Sutherland. Some of the past Primetime Emmy winners and nominees include John Amos, Dabney Coleman, Shelley Duvall, Linda Lavin, Martin Mull, Bob Newhart, and Alan Rachins,
Seesag Life Achievement award: Full gallery of recipients since 1995
There are more than 100 actors and actresses who died since the last SAG Awards ceremony:
Marla Adams
Anouk Aimée
Jean Allison
John Amos
Erich Anderson
John Aprea
Niels Arestrup
Erica Ash
John Ashton
Susan Backlinie
Barbara Baldavin
Bobby Banas
Terrence Beasor
Joan Benedict
Meg Bennett
Robyn Bernard
Mark Blankfield
Tom Bower...
Among the Oscar winners and nominees who will have their lives celebrated are Teri Garr, Louis Gossett, Jr., James Earl Jones, David Lynch, Joan Plowright, Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith, and honorary recipient Donald Sutherland. Some of the past Primetime Emmy winners and nominees include John Amos, Dabney Coleman, Shelley Duvall, Linda Lavin, Martin Mull, Bob Newhart, and Alan Rachins,
Seesag Life Achievement award: Full gallery of recipients since 1995
There are more than 100 actors and actresses who died since the last SAG Awards ceremony:
Marla Adams
Anouk Aimée
Jean Allison
John Amos
Erich Anderson
John Aprea
Niels Arestrup
Erica Ash
John Ashton
Susan Backlinie
Barbara Baldavin
Bobby Banas
Terrence Beasor
Joan Benedict
Meg Bennett
Robyn Bernard
Mark Blankfield
Tom Bower...
- 2/20/2025
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.Newsa Man of Integrity.Having banned producers of and actors in Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024) from leaving the country in an apparent attempt to pressure the director to pull the film from the Cannes Film Festival, Iranian authorities have now sentenced Rasoulof to eight years in prison, whipping, a fine, and confiscation of property, his lawyer announced today, adding that the courts consider the director’s films examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the nation’s security.A group of about 200 French festival workers called Sous les écrans la dèche (“Under the screens the waste”) announced Monday that it will move ahead with plans for a strike during Cannes,...
- 5/8/2024
- MUBI

Lynda Carter is paying tribute and honoring the late Jeannie Epper, the Wonder Woman stunt performer.
Epper died on Sunday at the age of 83. She performed stunts in the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series and films like The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
“I have a lot to say about Jeannie Epper. Most of all, I loved her. I always felt that we understood and appreciated one another,” Carter wrote in a message posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “After all, it was the 70s. We were united in the way that women had to be in order to thrive in a man’s world, through mutual respect, intellect and collaboration.”
Carter continued, “Jeannie was a vanguard who paved the way for all other stuntwomen who came after. Just as Diana was Wonder Woman, Jeannie Epper was also a Wonder Woman.
Epper died on Sunday at the age of 83. She performed stunts in the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series and films like The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Kill Bill: Vol. 2.
“I have a lot to say about Jeannie Epper. Most of all, I loved her. I always felt that we understood and appreciated one another,” Carter wrote in a message posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “After all, it was the 70s. We were united in the way that women had to be in order to thrive in a man’s world, through mutual respect, intellect and collaboration.”
Carter continued, “Jeannie was a vanguard who paved the way for all other stuntwomen who came after. Just as Diana was Wonder Woman, Jeannie Epper was also a Wonder Woman.
- 5/7/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV

Jeannie Epper, a veteran stunt performer with more than 150 movie credits, has died. She was 83 years old.
Per Variety, Epper passed away on Sunday evening at her home in Simi Valley, California. Born in 1941, Epper came from a family of stunt performers. Her father, John Epper, and mother, Frances Epper, were both professional stunt workers. Through this connection, Epper began her career at the age of nine, becoming one of show business's first professional child stunt doubles. Her brothers, Gary and Tony, were also working on stunts, and Epper has continued the family business with all three of her children --- Eurlyne, Richard, and Kurtis --- all having served as stuntpeople.
Epper had been a founding member of the Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures, which was established in 1968. In 1999, she became president of the association and remained an honorary member. She became the first woman to be given a Lifetime...
Per Variety, Epper passed away on Sunday evening at her home in Simi Valley, California. Born in 1941, Epper came from a family of stunt performers. Her father, John Epper, and mother, Frances Epper, were both professional stunt workers. Through this connection, Epper began her career at the age of nine, becoming one of show business's first professional child stunt doubles. Her brothers, Gary and Tony, were also working on stunts, and Epper has continued the family business with all three of her children --- Eurlyne, Richard, and Kurtis --- all having served as stuntpeople.
Epper had been a founding member of the Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures, which was established in 1968. In 1999, she became president of the association and remained an honorary member. She became the first woman to be given a Lifetime...
- 5/6/2024
- by Jeremy Dick
- Comic Book Resources

Jeannie Epper, a stuntwoman known for her work in Wonder Woman and Dynasty has died. The performer was 83 years old. News of Epper’s death was confirmed by her family via The Hollywood Reporter, which revealed that the stuntwoman died of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, California. As mentioned, above, Epper worked on Wonder Woman, serving as a double for Lynda Carter in the beloved television series. She also stepped in to swing from vines and propel down a mudslide on Kathleen Turner‘s behalf in Romancing the Stone. © HBO / Courtesy Everett Collection Epper’s work also included being a stunt double for Linda Evans‘ Krystle on the hit soapy drama Dynasty. She also served as a stunt double for several episodes of the series Charlie’s Angels, working alongside Tanya Roberts and Kate Jackson. In addition to her stunt work, Epper was also an actress, performing in films such as Hello,...
- 5/6/2024
- TV Insider

Jeannie Epper, a stunt double for Lynda Carter in the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series and performed stunts in such movies as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, died Sunday at her Simi Valley, California, home. She was 83.
A founding member in 1968 of the Stuntwomen’s Association of Motion Pictures, Epper’s more than 150 film credits also included Catch Me If You Can, Romancing the Stone, The Amazing Spider-Man, and The Princess Diaries. She was spotlighted in Double Dare, Amanda Micheli’s 2004 documentary about stuntwomen.
Her death was first reported by Deadline sister publication The Hollywood Reporter.
Described as “the greatest stuntwoman who ever lived” in a 2007 Entertainment Weekly article, Epper was the daughter of stunt performers John Epper and sister to stuntmen Gary and Tony Epper. Jeannie Epper became one of the first professional child stunt doubles when she began her career at age...
A founding member in 1968 of the Stuntwomen’s Association of Motion Pictures, Epper’s more than 150 film credits also included Catch Me If You Can, Romancing the Stone, The Amazing Spider-Man, and The Princess Diaries. She was spotlighted in Double Dare, Amanda Micheli’s 2004 documentary about stuntwomen.
Her death was first reported by Deadline sister publication The Hollywood Reporter.
Described as “the greatest stuntwoman who ever lived” in a 2007 Entertainment Weekly article, Epper was the daughter of stunt performers John Epper and sister to stuntmen Gary and Tony Epper. Jeannie Epper became one of the first professional child stunt doubles when she began her career at age...
- 5/6/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV

Jeannie Epper, who was a stunt double for Lynda Carter in the original “Wonder Woman” TV series and performed stunts in many movies and TV shows, died Sunday evening at her home in Simi Valley, Calif. She was 83.
Born in 1941, Epper went on to perform stunts on over 150 feature films like “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” “The Princess Diaries,” “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” “Flight” and many more.
She was featured in Amanda Micheli’s 2004 documentary film about stuntwomen, “Double Dare.” The movie followed Epper and fellow stuntwoman Zoë Bell over several years of their stunt work.
Epper was a founding member of the Stuntwomen’s Association of Motion Pictures in 1968, became president of the association of 1999 and remained an honorary member. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 from the Taurus World Stunt Awards and was the first woman to be selected for the honor.
Born in 1941, Epper went on to perform stunts on over 150 feature films like “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” “The Princess Diaries,” “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” “Flight” and many more.
She was featured in Amanda Micheli’s 2004 documentary film about stuntwomen, “Double Dare.” The movie followed Epper and fellow stuntwoman Zoë Bell over several years of their stunt work.
Epper was a founding member of the Stuntwomen’s Association of Motion Pictures in 1968, became president of the association of 1999 and remained an honorary member. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 from the Taurus World Stunt Awards and was the first woman to be selected for the honor.
- 5/6/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety Film + TV


Jeannie Epper, the peerless, fearless stunt performer who doubled for Lynda Carter on Wonder Woman and swung on a vine across a 350-foot gorge and propelled down an epic mudslide as Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone, has died. She was 83.
Epper died Sunday night of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, her family told The Hollywood Reporter.
Just one member of a dynasty of stunt performers that Steven Spielberg dubbed the “Flying Wallendas of Film” — starting with her father, John Epper, there have been four generations of Eppers in show business since the 1930s — she worked on 150-plus films and TV shows during an astounding 70-year career.
In 2007, Epper received the first lifetime achievement honor given to a woman at the World Taurus Awards and ranks among the greatest stuntwomen of all time.
Known for her agility, horse-riding skills and competitiveness, the 5-foot-9 Epper also stepped in...
Epper died Sunday night of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, her family told The Hollywood Reporter.
Just one member of a dynasty of stunt performers that Steven Spielberg dubbed the “Flying Wallendas of Film” — starting with her father, John Epper, there have been four generations of Eppers in show business since the 1930s — she worked on 150-plus films and TV shows during an astounding 70-year career.
In 2007, Epper received the first lifetime achievement honor given to a woman at the World Taurus Awards and ranks among the greatest stuntwomen of all time.
Known for her agility, horse-riding skills and competitiveness, the 5-foot-9 Epper also stepped in...
- 5/6/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News

Leaping over walls, taking a punch, landing a kick, feeling the heat of an explosion, and sometimes holding dangerously sharp objects, these are the routine dangers stuntwomen face at the office. On September 22, 2020, Shout! Studios will unleash the highly anticipated documentary feature Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story on digital platforms everywhere for watch-at-home.
Directed by April Wright (Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace) and narrated by Michelle Rodriguez, Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story is the inspiring untold story about the unsung professionals, their struggles on screen to perform at the highest level, and their fight off-screen to be treated fairly and equally. The movie takes us behind-the-scenes and introduces us to the female stunt performers who drive the action and thrills of Hollywood's biggest blockbuster movies from the silent age of cinema to present day.
Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story, based on the best-selling book by Mollie Gregory,...
Directed by April Wright (Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace) and narrated by Michelle Rodriguez, Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story is the inspiring untold story about the unsung professionals, their struggles on screen to perform at the highest level, and their fight off-screen to be treated fairly and equally. The movie takes us behind-the-scenes and introduces us to the female stunt performers who drive the action and thrills of Hollywood's biggest blockbuster movies from the silent age of cinema to present day.
Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story, based on the best-selling book by Mollie Gregory,...
- 8/4/2020
- by Brian B.
- MovieWeb

The onscreen exploits of stuntwomen, and their off-screen battles for fair and equal treatment, is explored in Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story, a new documentary from director April Wright for Shout! Studios that debuts September 22 on digital platforms.
Narrated by Fast & Furious franchise star Michelle Rodriquez and based on Mollie Gregory’s 2015 best-seller, the film chronicles the lives of women who perform the stunts in some of Hollywood’s biggest action sequences — from the early days of silent movies to today’s blockbusters. The producers are Stephanie Austin, Michael Gruskoff and Marion Rosenberg.
“These unheralded heroines are the generations of stuntwomen who risked their lives in front of the camera, while behind it they fought for equal rights with male stunt performers, battled sexism and harassment, sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to the fray after each battle,” the producing team said in a joint statement.
Ben Mankiewicz, film historian...
Narrated by Fast & Furious franchise star Michelle Rodriquez and based on Mollie Gregory’s 2015 best-seller, the film chronicles the lives of women who perform the stunts in some of Hollywood’s biggest action sequences — from the early days of silent movies to today’s blockbusters. The producers are Stephanie Austin, Michael Gruskoff and Marion Rosenberg.
“These unheralded heroines are the generations of stuntwomen who risked their lives in front of the camera, while behind it they fought for equal rights with male stunt performers, battled sexism and harassment, sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to the fray after each battle,” the producing team said in a joint statement.
Ben Mankiewicz, film historian...
- 8/3/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Ten years ago, Jeannie Epper was hired for a V8 juice commercial. It was a fairly standard gig, at least for a stuntwoman: She'd drive a car up a ramp and jump it through a ring of fire. Perhaps not so standard was her age at the time, 68. But Jeannie Epper, widely considered the greatest stuntwoman
...
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Other Links From TVGuide.com Jeannie EpperDebbie EvansWonder WomanWonder WomanThe RookieRomancing The StoneTerms Of Endearment...
...
Read More >
Other Links From TVGuide.com Jeannie EpperDebbie EvansWonder WomanWonder WomanThe RookieRomancing The StoneTerms Of Endearment...
- 3/26/2019
- by Malcolm Venable
- TVGuide - Breaking News
The Ugly Behind-the-Scenes History of Video Game Movies
“Few Hollywood announcements are treated with such fierce-yet-wounded anticipation as video game adaptations. Full of incredible artistry, instantly-recognizable characters and an increasingly-mature approach to storytelling, you’d be forgiven for thinking gaming is a medium particularly well suited for making the jump to the silver screen. But history tells another story.”
Robocop: The Oral History
“A little more than 25 years ago, Orion Pictures released RoboCop, a grimly hysterical, hyper-violent satire masquerading as an action film. And despite spawning two sequels, a television series, some anime, and now a remake, the film’s success was inimitable. This is partly because RoboCop only really became a great film as it was made. Director Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Basic Instinct) worked tirelessly to revise scenes while actors like Kurtwood Smith, who plays Clarence Boddecker, the film’s main heavy, improvised some of the movie’s best lines.
“Few Hollywood announcements are treated with such fierce-yet-wounded anticipation as video game adaptations. Full of incredible artistry, instantly-recognizable characters and an increasingly-mature approach to storytelling, you’d be forgiven for thinking gaming is a medium particularly well suited for making the jump to the silver screen. But history tells another story.”
Robocop: The Oral History
“A little more than 25 years ago, Orion Pictures released RoboCop, a grimly hysterical, hyper-violent satire masquerading as an action film. And despite spawning two sequels, a television series, some anime, and now a remake, the film’s success was inimitable. This is partly because RoboCop only really became a great film as it was made. Director Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Basic Instinct) worked tirelessly to revise scenes while actors like Kurtwood Smith, who plays Clarence Boddecker, the film’s main heavy, improvised some of the movie’s best lines.
- 2/13/2014
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight


New Zealand stuntwoman-turned-actress Zoë Bell is fully aware of her unique position as an action star that also does her own stunts. After working as Lucy Lawless's stunt double on Xena: Warrior Princess, Bell was discovered by Quentin Tarantino on the set of Kill Bill. After that, Bell has enjoyed prominence as one of stuntwoman-centric doc Double Dare's two subjects and a major role in Tarantino's Death Proof. Now, Bell stars, performs stunts, and produces Raze, a spartan, ruthless action film in which 50 kidnapped women fight each other in order to spare their loved ones. The Village Voice talked to Bell about being mentored by fellow stuntwoman Jeannie Epper, working with Quentin Tarantino, and stunt-doubling for Sharon Stone in Cat...
- 1/5/2014
- Village Voice
I know that when you saw the trailers for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter you were as dumbfounded as the rest of us. While we’ve seen literal adaptations of some of the classics turned into zombie novels (and by the same culprit as Al:vh no less) this seems like a stretch. Let’s take an historical figure, well loved who has established mythology and then completely turn it to our own horror lovin’ devices. I’m sure this is the literary adventure that our forefathers imagined when they formed this nation. Life, liberty and the pursuit of horror (or at least camp classic entertainment). Come listen to Jeff Konopka, Shawn Savage and Jesse Bartel as they dissect this one. I think it’s safe to say, it is exactly what you think it is. The Dead Air has the 101 on this purposely historically inaccurate work of fiction.
Along with the main event,...
Along with the main event,...
- 7/26/2012
- by Jimmy Terror
- The Liberal Dead
Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to worthwhile titles currently available on Netflix Instant Watch. This week we offer alternatives to Hugo, The Muppets & The Artist.
This holiday weekend is nostalgia heavy as two family-friendly features will duke it out for the top spot at the box office. And while a movie-lovin’ orphan battles against a mob of Muppets, a spectacular entry into silent cinema will dazzle in select theaters. But if you’re craving some couch-friendly entertainment to go with your turkey, we’ve got you covered with some kid-centered adventures, Henson-created creatures and classic and cutting comedies suitable for the whole family!
In 1930s Paris, an orphan boy named Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) aims to unlock the secret behind a curious robot his recently deceased father has left him. Chloe Moretz and Sacha Baron Cohen co-star; Martin Scorsese directs.
Orphans...
This holiday weekend is nostalgia heavy as two family-friendly features will duke it out for the top spot at the box office. And while a movie-lovin’ orphan battles against a mob of Muppets, a spectacular entry into silent cinema will dazzle in select theaters. But if you’re craving some couch-friendly entertainment to go with your turkey, we’ve got you covered with some kid-centered adventures, Henson-created creatures and classic and cutting comedies suitable for the whole family!
In 1930s Paris, an orphan boy named Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) aims to unlock the secret behind a curious robot his recently deceased father has left him. Chloe Moretz and Sacha Baron Cohen co-star; Martin Scorsese directs.
Orphans...
- 11/23/2011
- by [email protected] (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
If you were the kind of little girl who loved jumping out of trees, having play sword fights, and wearing costumes, then envy Jessica Harbeck, a professional stuntwoman. Not only does she get paid to be (fake) punched in the face and kicked around, she has a blast doing it. AfterEllen.com talked to Jessica about her work, being a woman in one of Hollywood's oldest boys' clubs, and her Best. Day. Ever. Hint: It involves lingerie and a football.
Jessica Harbeck: Stuntwoman
AfterEllen.com: The first thing a lot of people will probably wonder is how do you become a stuntwoman? It's not like you can major in it in college.
Jessica Harbeck: Getting into stunts is different for each person in the business. I got really lucky. I moved out here with the intention of getting into stunts, after finishing school in Boulder, Colorado.
Ae: What...
Jessica Harbeck: Stuntwoman
AfterEllen.com: The first thing a lot of people will probably wonder is how do you become a stuntwoman? It's not like you can major in it in college.
Jessica Harbeck: Getting into stunts is different for each person in the business. I got really lucky. I moved out here with the intention of getting into stunts, after finishing school in Boulder, Colorado.
Ae: What...
- 12/29/2010
- by Dara Nai
- AfterEllen.com
Butler To Collect Stunt Award
Gerard Butler will receive the Action Movie Star Of The Year prize at next month's 2007 Taurus World Stunt Awards. The 300 star will be honored at the World Stunt Foundation's Hollywood ceremony, which is being hosted by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson on May 20. Butler says, "It is such a special honor to receive this award from the stunt community. In each action film I'm a part of, I am continually amazed by their remarkable talent. While I am proud to receive this accolade, I am keenly aware of who the real action heroes are." Stuntwoman Jeannie Epper is the first woman to be selected for the awards' Lifetime Achievement Award, while Burt Reynolds will also be honored.
- 4/20/2007
- WENN

Double Dare

AFI Fest
"Double Dare" very entertainingly takes us into the world of stuntwomen, a male-dominated world full of the same dangers faced by men but one that only now is grudgingly giving women their due. The film, winner of the Documentary Audience Award at the recent AFI Fest, makes a perfect festival entry and has potential as a theatrical release.
Director Amanda Micheli follows two stuntwomen at opposite ends of the world and their careers. Jeannie Epper is a familiar name to all industry insiders as she is the first lady of the first family of stunt people. Trained by a father who once doubled for Errol Flynn and Gary Cooper, Epper not only became a top stuntwoman but has seen her brother, sister, daughter and grandkids all excel in the profession. At 62, she sees no reason to quit even though she struggles against the aging process, weight gain and the frustration of not being able to advance to stunt coordinator or second unit director as do male colleagues.
Zoe Bell, a native of New Zealand, was the primary double for Lucy Lawless on "Xena: Warrior Princess" when that show shot in that country. Finding herself out of work once "Xena" wraps, Bell decides to go to Los Angeles to attend the 2001 World Stunt Awards. There she meets Epper, who becomes a mentor to the young woman. Teaching Bell the ropes of Hollywood stunt casting and how to create a good resume, Epper is near the telephone when Bell lands her biggest gig to date, doubling for Uma Thurman on "Kill Bill".
Interspersed with interviews with Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Lynda Carter (whom Epper doubled on "Wonder Woman") and Lawless, the film watches the women train, go to auditions, perform stunts and deal with rejection. For all their differences, these two women are cut from the same cloth. Both love the challenges; neither can imagine any other sort of life. "I don't think I could be a waitress," muses Epper.
"Double Dare" very entertainingly takes us into the world of stuntwomen, a male-dominated world full of the same dangers faced by men but one that only now is grudgingly giving women their due. The film, winner of the Documentary Audience Award at the recent AFI Fest, makes a perfect festival entry and has potential as a theatrical release.
Director Amanda Micheli follows two stuntwomen at opposite ends of the world and their careers. Jeannie Epper is a familiar name to all industry insiders as she is the first lady of the first family of stunt people. Trained by a father who once doubled for Errol Flynn and Gary Cooper, Epper not only became a top stuntwoman but has seen her brother, sister, daughter and grandkids all excel in the profession. At 62, she sees no reason to quit even though she struggles against the aging process, weight gain and the frustration of not being able to advance to stunt coordinator or second unit director as do male colleagues.
Zoe Bell, a native of New Zealand, was the primary double for Lucy Lawless on "Xena: Warrior Princess" when that show shot in that country. Finding herself out of work once "Xena" wraps, Bell decides to go to Los Angeles to attend the 2001 World Stunt Awards. There she meets Epper, who becomes a mentor to the young woman. Teaching Bell the ropes of Hollywood stunt casting and how to create a good resume, Epper is near the telephone when Bell lands her biggest gig to date, doubling for Uma Thurman on "Kill Bill".
Interspersed with interviews with Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Lynda Carter (whom Epper doubled on "Wonder Woman") and Lawless, the film watches the women train, go to auditions, perform stunts and deal with rejection. For all their differences, these two women are cut from the same cloth. Both love the challenges; neither can imagine any other sort of life. "I don't think I could be a waitress," muses Epper.
- 7/9/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News

Double Dare

AFI Fest
"Double Dare" very entertainingly takes us into the world of stuntwomen, a male-dominated world full of the same dangers faced by men but one that only now is grudgingly giving women their due. The film, winner of the Documentary Audience Award at the recent AFI Fest, makes a perfect festival entry and has potential as a theatrical release.
Director Amanda Micheli follows two stuntwomen at opposite ends of the world and their careers. Jeannie Epper is a familiar name to all industry insiders as she is the first lady of the first family of stunt people. Trained by a father who once doubled for Errol Flynn and Gary Cooper, Epper not only became a top stuntwoman but has seen her brother, sister, daughter and grandkids all excel in the profession. At 62, she sees no reason to quit even though she struggles against the aging process, weight gain and the frustration of not being able to advance to stunt coordinator or second unit director as do male colleagues.
Zoe Bell, a native of New Zealand, was the primary double for Lucy Lawless on "Xena: Warrior Princess" when that show shot in that country. Finding herself out of work once "Xena" wraps, Bell decides to go to Los Angeles to attend the 2001 World Stunt Awards. There she meets Epper, who becomes a mentor to the young woman. Teaching Bell the ropes of Hollywood stunt casting and how to create a good resume, Epper is near the telephone when Bell lands her biggest gig to date, doubling for Uma Thurman on "Kill Bill".
Interspersed with interviews with Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Lynda Carter (whom Epper doubled on "Wonder Woman") and Lawless, the film watches the women train, go to auditions, perform stunts and deal with rejection. For all their differences, these two women are cut from the same cloth. Both love the challenges; neither can imagine any other sort of life. "I don't think I could be a waitress," muses Epper.
"Double Dare" very entertainingly takes us into the world of stuntwomen, a male-dominated world full of the same dangers faced by men but one that only now is grudgingly giving women their due. The film, winner of the Documentary Audience Award at the recent AFI Fest, makes a perfect festival entry and has potential as a theatrical release.
Director Amanda Micheli follows two stuntwomen at opposite ends of the world and their careers. Jeannie Epper is a familiar name to all industry insiders as she is the first lady of the first family of stunt people. Trained by a father who once doubled for Errol Flynn and Gary Cooper, Epper not only became a top stuntwoman but has seen her brother, sister, daughter and grandkids all excel in the profession. At 62, she sees no reason to quit even though she struggles against the aging process, weight gain and the frustration of not being able to advance to stunt coordinator or second unit director as do male colleagues.
Zoe Bell, a native of New Zealand, was the primary double for Lucy Lawless on "Xena: Warrior Princess" when that show shot in that country. Finding herself out of work once "Xena" wraps, Bell decides to go to Los Angeles to attend the 2001 World Stunt Awards. There she meets Epper, who becomes a mentor to the young woman. Teaching Bell the ropes of Hollywood stunt casting and how to create a good resume, Epper is near the telephone when Bell lands her biggest gig to date, doubling for Uma Thurman on "Kill Bill".
Interspersed with interviews with Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Lynda Carter (whom Epper doubled on "Wonder Woman") and Lawless, the film watches the women train, go to auditions, perform stunts and deal with rejection. For all their differences, these two women are cut from the same cloth. Both love the challenges; neither can imagine any other sort of life. "I don't think I could be a waitress," muses Epper.
- 11/19/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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