Michelle C. Smith

By starrymag | January 6, 2023

By: Dianca Yssel

 

Q) You are a self-proclaimed “Professional Badass,” a title no short of superhero! Since every superhero has a backstory, please tell us a bit of your journey from baton twirling World Champion to becoming one of Hollywood’s leading stunt women and stunt choreographers.

A) Well, I can’t say I had intended to become a real-life superhero and professional badass…the life sort of chose me!

When I was five years old, I joined a sport called Baton Twirling.  By age nine, I was competing at a national level and by eleven years old, I was competing at the World Championships in Italy. I competed at the World Championships for 8 consecutive years bringing home one bronze, three silver and one gold medals.

Being an International Elite athlete at such a young age was not without its share of sacrifice and hard work.  From around ages nine to nineteen years old, I was training upwards of thirty-five to forty hours per week, which also included a full competitive dance schedule and gymnastics classes.

Though I was successful in my competitive career, I felt like there was so much further I could take my skills so after I retired from competing at age nineteen, I began the long journey towards whatever my professional career would eventually become!

I moved to Vancouver and began a professional performance career. I joined a professional circus company called The Underground Circus, and performed on all sorts of apparati like silks, hoop, rope, fire spinning, partner balancing and more!  It was through the circus community that started meeting other Stunt Performers.  And as soon as my eyes were opened to possibilities that stunts and martial arts could bring me…I was hooked!

I’ve never looked back since!

 

Q) Stunt performing requires a high level of fitness, both physically and mentally. How do you keep your body and mind “stunt fit? 

A) You’re totally correct in your observation that being a stunt performer requires an extremely high level of fitness and mental fortitude.  It’s definitely not a career path for everyone.

Being a stunt performer is akin to being a professional athlete. It’s your job to be in the best shape possible, while gathering as many skills as you can over the course of your career. That means pushing your fitness capacities like strength, mobility and cardiovascular endurance.  It means focusing on skill specific training, i.e. martial arts, acting, driving, etc.

For me, I work with a personal trainer focusing on a variety of different training capacities that we create together depending on what I need for a specific role or whatever my body needs at that moment.  These days my biggest focus is stability and balance.  I’ve maintained a regular strength and conditioning regimen since I was a young kid.  And in that time, over three decades now, my body has shifted and changed in so many ways.  Being present to those shifts is what really helps me stay at the top of my game.

There have definitely been seasons in my life where I’ve been over training, which usually leads to burn out and injuries. And that has been one of the biggest stressors on my mental health. Not to mention the stress and anxiety that smashing my body into the ground brings!

That’s where meditation, journaling, regular therapy and going for walks has been super helpful for me in challenging times. The mental journey is almost more challenging than the physical journey, in my opinion.

The mind/body connection is huge and something I’m really passionate about advocating for.  I think our mental health is one of the biggest factors we often overlook in trying to maintain our physical health.  What I’ve learned is that it’s not so much about what you train or how often you do it, it’s all about finding the balance and joy in moving your body!

 

Q) You are a woman of many talents in the career of stunt work, and have done it all: stunt dancing, stunt performing, stunt coordinating, weapon manipulation, stunt/fight choreography and stunt double work. Do you have a preference or skill that you particularly enjoy doing? 

A) This is an aspect of my career that’s changed over the years. I used to really enjoy the challenge of performing high level stunts/skills under pressure, especially when I get to use my weapons specialty!

And lucky me, I’ve performed in so many different capacities that I feel incredibly satisfied and proud of everything I’ve had the privilege of experiencing whether that be in film, on stage or in competition.

However, these days, what lights me up the most is teaching and creative collaboration.  And in the realm of stunts, that is Stunt/Fight Coordination I love that I get to share my expertise and knowledge with so many cool people.  And I love that part of my job is exploring the artistry in telling stories with movement.

 

Q) Besides your stunt work, you have also had some acting roles (“Continuum,” “Charmed,” “Supergirl,” “The 100,” Hotel Limbo and Under Wraps). Do your skills as a stunt woman come in handy when acting? Is acting something you wish to pursue more in the future?

A) Being a stunt performer is being a physical actor. You have to be able to create and maintain a presence when you are involved in a scene, even if you’re not speaking. Having a base of movement and body awareness is a huge asset when it comes to acting.  I find it so much easier to physically embody a character because I know my own body so well.

I’ve been actively training and pursuing acting as long as I’ve been working in stunts!  Most stunt performers do as well.  It’s been a process and a journey that I’ve really enjoyed; however, it’s not my main focus at the moment.

Just like stunts, there is a certain amount of energy and commitment that is involved in being a successful actor.  While I consider myself a relatively good actor, I do my homework and I audition well, I’ve mainly focused on building my stunt career and online business.  It’s challenging to do all the things at once.  I can definitely see myself going full throttle in acting when I’m a bit older.

Not to say that if a cool acting gig were offered to me now, I would definitely dive in and do my very best!

 

Q) You did a fire dance stunt on Red Riding Hood. Talk about your experience and what is important to assure safety when performing a stunt like that.

A) Red Riding Hood was a surprise for me!  This opportunity came very early in my stunt career when I was still involved in circus.

I had been doing a lot of fire poi performances with my circus company at that time and was eventually asked to audition for the show.  I was very surprised to hear that I booked it and was even more surprised to hear that the role also came with a wire gag and dance choreography!

The biggest challenge I had with spinning fire in a scene with hundreds of background actors was being able to navigate through the crowd safely. In the scene, the town was having a celebration and people were enjoying themselves, so I had to be very aware of all the bodies around me that were near since I had two balls of fire in each hand.

I also had to advocate for a costume and hair that was safe to perform with fire in.  They initially wanted my hair to be down and free flowing, while wearing a big flowy skirt, all of which are extremely dangerous while manipulating fire.  After some discussion, we were able to compromise on a braided hair style and leather over skirt that was safe for me and fit the role.

The biggest surprise of them all was the wire gag (a/k/a Hand Pull) I was gifted by the stunt coordinator.  This was early in my stunt career, and I was still considered “green” as a performer.  So, having a gnarly stunt gag handed to me was not something I was accustomed to at the time.  (Now, it would not be a big deal at all.)

A hand pull is a type of wire gag where the performer is attached to a line (via stunt harness) and dynamically launched into the air/object/ground with a hand operated pulley system.

While I had spent a large amount of time in a harness and on a wire in my circus career, this gag was my first big crash of my stunt career!!

I’m grateful for all of the advice and support I received from the stunt team on that gag.  Looking back, Baby Michelle had no idea what she was doing!

 

Q) Besides wielding fire, you are skilled in manipulating various kinds of weapons, and have done fight coordination and weapon training for TV shows like “Titans,” “The Magicians” and “Motherland: Fort Salem. A personal favorite weapon of mine is the witch scourge from Motherland Fort Salem.  What it is like to not only learn the manipulation for such a unique weapon?

A) Ah yes, the famous Witches Scourge!! This is hands down one of the most difficult weapons I’ve ever had to work with and teach. When I started working on the pilot of “Motherland,” we actually had the actors training with Rope Darts, which are a flexible weapon consisting of a heavy object at the end of a rope.

Rope Darts are a rare weapon we see in film because they are so challenging to work with. It is definitely an advanced weapon that even experienced martial artists struggle with.

My biggest challenge was how I was going to get my actors to a level of proficiency where they could manipulate the rope dart safely and confidently!  Luckily, with my deep background of weapons manipulation, I was able to home in on the basic and most useful techniques that the actors could learn in just a few sessions and that would serve as a foundation for the coming seasons.

Early in season one the rope dart evolved into what we now call the “Scourge,” which, in theory, was supposed to move and act just as the Rope Darts did; however, the practicality of the actual prop did lend itself so well to that.  So, we basically had to start over and re learn our basic skills with a new weapon.

It obviously worked out in the end and definitely goes to show how quickly elements can change on a film set.  A good professional has the ability to adapt to anything!

 

Q) You have done stunt double work for the Blockbuster movie Deadpool and on multiple TV shows (“Helstrom,” “Smallville,” “The 100,” “Supergirl,” “Arrow,” “Continuum” and “Motherland: Fort Salem” among others). Being a stunt double requires you to match an actor’s movements and mannerisms precisely. How do you go about preparing to step into the shoes of an actor you double for?

A) Having a wide variety of movement styles and experience comes in handy when doubling actors!

I like to start with getting to know the actors – who are they, where are they from, what’s their movement background.  All those little details provide a lot of useful information.

For example, if an actor has a dance background, it’s easy to slip into a posture and stance that’s a little more based in dance technique.  I can also communicate movement to that actor using familiar terminology that they understand.

Same thing if they practice yoga or play a certain sport.

Finding common points of reference that actor knows helps create a space of confidence and safety for the actor to perform at their best.  Being able to adapt is a part of my job but maybe something new and intimidating for the actor.  It can be so intimidating into come into a room full of professional movers, so finding that common ground is key.

 

Q) You have gained quite a substantial social media following through your online weapon manipulation tutorials, your freestyle staff and light saber ones being especially popular (you are dubbed the “Queen of the Lightsabers” no less!). How easy is it to provide training of such a physical nature to a virtual audience?

A) Teaching people physical skills in a virtual modality definitely took some practice and experimentation.  I’ve been running Staff Spinning online group classes since 2016, before it was even a thing people did!  It took time to convince people to join in but I’m really glad I was a head of the curve in that sense.

The biggest thing I focus on when teaching online is to keep the instruction as clear and simple as possible, while also offering multiple angles and perspectives as I can.  Everyone has a different style of learning and receiving guidance, so I try to be as inclusive as possible in that regard.

I also make a point to encourage patience and persistence since learning a new skill can be incredibly challenging in the best of circumstances.  I want to inspire my students to enjoy the process of learning.  How good you are doesn’t actually matter.  It’s all about feeling good in those moments.

My aim is to make the journey of learning with me, whether online or in person, as empowering and fulfilling as possible!

 

Q) Is it difficult to learn weapon manipulation or can anyone do it? 

A) Absolutely!!  All it takes is a little patience, persistence and willingness to try!

Also, make sure you’re in a safe space to practice.

Many of my students are regular people, of all ages and movement backgrounds.  There’s something in my Tutorials and Online Academy for everyone!

 

Q) What are the current or upcoming projects that you have been busy working on?

A) My theme of 2023 is Creativity and Artistry.  I’m really looking forward to creating and producing all the crazy/cool/interesting ideas into reality!  That’s the real key to success in this industry.  Create your own work and people will want to work with you!

There are a few things coming up for me that I can’t quite talk about yet, but I’m really excited to share them with you when I can.

 

Q) Do you have any advice for aspiring badasses or stunt career seekers?

A) Tips to Get Started as a Stunt Performer:

Live/move to a city with an active film industry. (LA, NYC, ATL, Vancouver, Toronto, UK etc.)

Learn to fight in multiple styles. (Boxing or Muay Thai is a great place to start.)

Learn to Hit the Ground/Fall Down Safely

Get professional headshots.

Create a Stunt Demo Reel with footage of you fighting and falling, plus any special skills you have.

Hang out where stunt performers hang out! (Parkour gyms, gymnastics gyms, martial arts dojos or studios, fitness centers, acting classes etc.)

Be open to learning new things and be willing to constantly be training.  (Even if you’re an expert at something, there’s always more to learn!)

Be open minded and kind.

Be patient!  The film industry is notoriously inconsistent at the best of times.

Really be sure that you’re enjoying the work that you do, especially with Stunts.  It’s a challenging job and it’s not for everyone.

Take care of your body, your mind and your money!