On a vacation to India, the under-five-feet bundle of talent, Sharonda Scott, opens up about the challenges she faces and the concerns artificial intelligence (AI) raises.
Excerpts from the interview:
Why did you choose to make a career in stunts?
The climate in Hollywood had changed when I came to LA three-and-a-half years ago. White people were no longer doubling up for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous People of Colour), there was a demand for stunt women of a particular height, weight and skin colour.
I have the advantage of an athletic background and being under five feet I can easily pass off for a child. You have to match the movements and body chemistry of the actor you are doubling for so the transition is seamless and the audience can’t differentiate between the two of you.
Let’s flashback to your first stunt…
I started with the American medical drama television series Grey’s Anatomy. I played the body double of Chandra Wilson, who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey’s. Since my sister is a doctor in her hospital’s ER (Emergency Room) there was a special connection. It’s good to see doctors who are BIPOC, Asian, Hispanic and African in positions of power both on and off screen. It changes the mindset of people who earlier only saw us as nurses and orderlies. The stunt in particular was a simple one in the parking lot. The father of a patient pushes Dr Bailey who falls on the pavement and twists her ankle. The stunt coordinator, Jim Vickers, has been in the industry for ages.
What has been your most challenging stunt?
Every stunt has its own challenges. While working on a superhero TV show, The Villains of Valley View, I was hooked to a wire and pulled back 20 feet. On another occasion, I had to jump from one car to another and there was a six-feet gap between them. I was on a wire and it was fun to be pushed forward and pulled back, but dangerous too.
How many injuries so far?
(Laughs) There’s been blood, bruises and pain, but fortunately, no broken bones or hospitalization. Safety is a priority on our sets and you are the No. 1 advocate for your own safety. Fear is healthy and it pays to listen to your intuition.
Also, you need to take care of your body. I go for training, therapy and even use Chinese medicines. There’s one stunt artist who’s going strong even at 87, but most don’t last beyond 15-20 years. After that, you can become a stunt coordinator, a second-unit director and even a director.
Is AI and chroma a cause for concern?
It is, for every department of filmmaking. We need to work with technology, but we also need to own our images so we can licence them to production units and get paid every time they use it. Also, a single image is three days of shooting, so it’s only right that we get compensated for three days of work and not one. Contracts need to be rewritten and work culture has to change for both actors and technicians to survive in
the future.
What brought you to India?
I’ve been wanting to visit since I saw Goa in a film. I am on a vacation, but I met a few people from the industry and we exchanged notes. I leave on April 1, but I’ll be back. I’ve fallen in love with the people and food, the different languages and the culture.
Did you catch any Bollywood films?
I’m a huge Bollywood buff and have been watching your movies for 15 years now. The Indian POV is very different from the American, but interesting too.
Besides, Indian cinema offers the whole package — song, dance, action, laughter and tears. RRR was such a thrill in its first 10 minutes that I remember wondering at the interval point how much better it could get. But oh my God, the second half was even more ambitious and impressive!
Would you like to work in an Indian film?
I’d love to. In fact, given that I speak Portuguese and Spanish too, I’d love to work in different film markets and. I most definitely want to work with Shah Rukh Khan.
You like SRK?
(Laughs) Everyone loves him. I’ve seen most of his films and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a favourite even though it is more romantic than action. One of its songs is my ring tone.
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
I love music and acting so I would love to be on stage, maybe perform in a Broadway musical. I write music, I’ve written some in India too. I just finished a song in English and Tamil and have sounded out a music producer. Let’s see what we can do with it. I’ve also been training to be a good scuba diver. Hopefully, I will get my Dive Master certificate this year and then, I can do the Black Panther kind of underwater stunts.
