Tell about yourself and your background! *
My background started in classical ballet. When I was accepted into a performing high school; I dove into all things movement. I trained for about 18 years. Through out that time I fell in love with boxing and kickboxing. As a kid I watched a lot of WWE and somehow thought the two were connected. (The magic was very real for me) As I got older, I started trying new forms of combat. Boxing was the go-to right after ballet. The footwork felt natural to me. Now I coach boxing and kickboxing regularly. It keeps me sharp and in shape and I'm surrounded by talented athletes every day. Eventually MMA took me by surprise as I was so used to being on my feet as a boxer/kickboxer. Learning what was possible on the ground opened by eyes and helped me develop even more.
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What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
It's always been a dream of mine. As kid,I grew up wanting to be like Zena Warrior Princess, the Pink Ranger from Power Rangers, and Catwoman. Their power and strength was inspiring to me and still is to this day. As I got older, I wanted to show younger generations of girls that they too can be strong and tough no matter what.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a stunt behind it?
I feel like my greatest skill as a stunt performer is my ability to adapt to any situation. Things can change on a project very quickly. Fight choreography changes are my personal favorite. It gives my brain and my body a challenge to work through which makes my job even more enjoyable.
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
My favorite part about being a stunt performer is switching into different roles. Every time I play a new character, I have to change my physicality up. Sometimes we're required to learn new skills for these roles as well which is always an incredible process. For my first live show contract, my character used a bullwhip as her main weapon of choice. I spent hours upon hours working on this one skill and completely fell in love with it.
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
My favorite stunt story has to be my first ever stunt job. I was on a show called Z-Nation. I'd actually been on the show as different zombies quite a few times over the previous 3 seasons. I walked onto set for the first time as a stunt performer and the entire cast was so happy for me. This episode was directed by Keith Allan who played "Murphy" on the show. He's someone I look up to as an over all entertainer. Working with him was sort of a dream come true. It was incredible to see how his mind works in creating his vision. His notes are still in my phone to this day. (No phones on set. I remembered them and wrote them down as soon as I got to my trailer.) It's something I will remember for forever.
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
Listen and learn. Watch the men and women who've come before you. I can't tell you how many times I've freeze framed different films and television shows my mentors and stunt idols have been on. I have a lot of respect for the way they've shaped the industry. They've paved the way for a lot of us. Zoe Bell, Alex Terzieff, Keith Cox, Jessie Graff are just some of the people I've personally looked up to. So I think finding work you really enjoy and understanding who created and how they work is incredibly important. Being willing able to to learn and grow will keep you on your toes and ready for any project that comes your way.
Anything else you'd like to tell the community about?
Being an action actor/stunt performer is the greatest job in the entire world. I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to call myself a stunt person to begin with. This is an industry I've always loved and had the upmost respect for. That being said I'm always willing and able to learn and shape myself into whatever is needed for any role and or project because of my love for what we get to do.
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
Instagram: Liz.Luxx Facebook: Elizabeth Cotter
Please include any links to stunt reels or videos you'd like to share!
https://www.stuntlisting.com/index.php#ajax/profile.php?id=2417
