Tell about yourself and your background! *
For as long as I can remember, few things have ever made me happier than performing. I learned as a young actress in the backstage chaos of community theater that entertainment was my passion. Growing up I enjoyed sports like soccer, volleyball, and basketball as well as practicing archery, gymnastics, martial arts, and horseback riding, the last of which I reached an instructor’s level of proficiency. I am now the proud owner of Providence Pastures Equestrian Academy and have the honor of teaching children and adults about horsemanship and horseback riding. I cultivated these skills and more throughout my background, but acting was the first thing I picked up in early childhood and never put down.
What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
A career in the stunt industry didn’t occur to me until my teenage years, but I believe that being raised on a horse ranch in the forest with a fascination for combat prepared me for the lifestyle. I have always been inspired by the action heroes in adventure media, and I always loved performing. Finding a community where my specific skills and interests were valued gave me a newfound sense of purpose and belonging.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a stunt behind it?
I consider my specialties to be in sword fighting and horseback riding. My horse is a Friesian-Tennessee-Walker-cross, and he is my pride and joy. My passion for sword craft also runs deep and stems from my childhood, although I wasn’t able to train with swords until I joined a stage combat troupe as a teenager. It was this experience as a whole, rather than any one particular stunt, that left a lifelong mark on me. This troupe was my first ever exposure to stage combat and my first experience learning and performing weapons choreography. You can imagine my excitement when I was granted a lead role and praised after the show for my performance in this production.
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
There are so many things I love about being a stunt performer, some of which being that I get to constantly challenge myself and fill different roles on each set I work on. What has to be my favorite, though, is the thought that I might inspire others the way I was inspired and wished to be inspired. Seeing people, especially children and girls, be inspired by my performances is incredibly fulfilling. I want my young sister and others like her to have an abundance of powerful women in media, as I wish I had at that age.
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
Every set and stage I have the privilege to work on comes with its own unique set of challenges and victories, but one moment I know I’ll never forget came while I was working at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire in Gainesville, Florida. I was incredibly proud of the growth I had made from patron to main villain in the stage combat show. My fight partners and cast mates inspired me to work hard and constantly improve my skills. Over the training, rehearsal, and performance process, we grew very close. The final day of performing our show was bittersweet, as it always is. It also, however, happened to be my 18th birthday. I was completely floored as the cast went off-script during the final scene, sung “happy birthday” to me with the audience’s participation, and presented me with my own new stage combat broadsword. This sword symbolizes a lot to me, and I still practice with it to this day.
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
Don’t give up! While it’s true that this industry is difficult, competitive, and dangerous, if you have the spark to pursue your dream and are willing to work hard, success is inevitable.
Anything else you'd like to tell the community about?
Despite being an extremely competitive field, I have encountered so many people in this community who have been nothing but generous with their talent and advice. Everywhere I work, train, and network, I find no shortage of performers who are as kind and welcoming as they are fierce and skilled!
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
Instagram: @Sierra.Faris
Facebook: Sierra Faris
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12957353/
Please include any links to stunt reels or videos you'd like to share!
Current Stunt Reel: https://youtu.be/SRlYAD34v4Y
