 |
||||
|
|
||||
|
Stunt Double for "Faith" played by Eliza Dushku |
||||
On Eliza . . . Ya Gotta Have Faith ~ Karen wouldn't be able to perform such amazing work as she does each season on Buffy and Angel if it weren't for two other people. Actress Eliza Dushku (the actress Karen doubles) and the character Faith whom Eliza brings to life with such awe-inspiring performances and talent. Karen gives her perspective on the actress and Karen's contribution to Faith's evolution. "She's great, got really good energy. She wants to do everything, she does, wants to try. She does pretty well, she has such a willingness to learn and she's a pretty quick study. She picks it up pretty quickly. You show her and tell he
Karen and Eliza on the set of Five by Five. The finale scene in the episode Five By Five, out to the alley, was such an emotional moment because Faith's character is basically breaking down at that point. "I was fascinated with watching her because she did such an exceptional job. It was just a pleasure for me to watch her. To stand there and be right there in her face watching because I watched the birth of her character. I was there from day one of Buffy when that character was introduced and I was there through the whole evolution of Faith. So watching her come to that point over the two television seasons was just for me - I was crying, she was crying. I just had tears rolling down my face in the rain because she was so good and so believable, you know, that Faith was having this breakdown. It was like I felt it with her." Not only watching this character but through her actions as well. Karen says, "In her fights I've tried to, as an actress, because she's such an animal, I've tried to live her fights which is something I d
The emotional demand aside, how did they fare with the physical demands of that scene as they spent hours in the pouring rain. "It was really fun. Oh gosh, she was just amazing. It was fabulous, she was a real trooper, I can't keep saying enough about her .(laugh) We were down there for 16 hours in the middle of the night and it was freezing in the pouring rain, it was real rain! It was not staged. It wasn't supposed to rain that night and it started raining so we shot it anyway." But that added to the overall emotional level of the scene as well as the two episodes leading up to that moment. "It did," Karen agrees, "and then towards the end of the night we had to match the rain, when it wasn't raining. They had to turn on the rain machines and that water was even colder than the real rain. I mean, we were down there 16-18 hours all night long in the middle of the night and it was cold and freezing and she was just, she never once got a prima-donna attitude. Stood there in that rain and just worked her little tail off. We all did, it was fun. It was a big emotional night for her and a very important part of her character. We'll see what happens now." The Past, The Future et al ~ We'll close out with a little back and forth banter starting with Karen's favorite stunt on Angel this season. "Oh let's see, that's kind of a toss up. The ratchet was really fun." Which one, there were so many! (laugh) "Where he picks me up after I crash my foot through a glass thing and then slams me face first on the ground, throws me across the floor and my head slammed into a chair and through a bunch of garbage on the floor. They ratcheted me, where I'm yanked real fast a
The direction of women in films is taking on a more challenging position these days and it's encouraging to see more women getting involved in what you do. "Oh definitely. What I see happening now is what I wished would have happened 10-15 years ago. I always saw this coming and always wanted to be a part of it. I always thought, 'well gee, why can't there be female James Bonds?' you know, why not? But when I came to town, Hollywood wasn't really quite ready for that but it's starting to happen. It's
Five by Five, Karen and Kevin Training is the key advice she would give to any young woman that wants to get into the stunt business. "They have to train. You have to get formal training (Martial Arts classes) if you want to be a fighter because your basics are very important. Then you have to develop an ability to be physically coordinated and be a good all-around athlete. Be as athletic as possible, take gymnastics. If it's stunt that you want to do, you've got to choose which stunts you'd like and go learn them. And take care of yourself. It's very easy to get injured so it's very important as you pursue your physical development that you also learn how to take care of yourself. Stay healthy and learn safety, you have to learn how to be safe. It's a business, there's a lot to learn about it. It's not just going out there and throwing yourself around. It's rough, you have to really like it. (laugh) Skydiving's a good start!" For the future, Karen has a couple of projects she would like to get funded as well as a couple of things that she's written. "In the mean time I'm earning a living doing fights because obviously, like you said, more woman are fighting and doing action so I'm earning a good living. I enjoy what I do, I love fighting and there's a need, there's a call for it because there's very few woman who fight well. Film fighting is a fantasy because it's a huge challenge to make it look really good but you can really let loose and it's a real outlet. (laugh) So in the mean time I'll do that and still audition for acting rolls. I'm redoing my web site. I want to make it more interactive, have a monthly column or an advice thing. I think I can do it to try to help motivate young martial artists." There is no doubt that the fans love Faith and you've done an amazing job and they really admire what you've brought to the character. "I have so much fun doing it that I get a kick out of people that appreciate it. That's fabulous!" And if Faith returns again next season, would you be happy to return to that? "Oh, absolutely!" Written by CoA Head Writer, Kristy Bratton
|
