New Zealand actress and stuntman Zoe Bell became known to a wide audience mainly due to her long-term collaboration with the famous film director Quentin Tarantino. In addition, on account of the athletic fit blonde, there are many other interesting projects. About the life of a future star before appearing in front of cameras, about the arrival of fame and the best films with her participation, is described in this article.
Not a day without sports
Zoe Bell was born on November 17, 1978 on one of the New Zealand islands called Wyheke, which belongs to the local Auckland region. Both parents worked at a local hospital. The father of the future actress - Andrew Bell - worked as a doctor. Her mother, Tish, was a nurse. After the birth of a daughter, the spouses Bell also had a son. Zoe's younger brother's name is Jake.
All the childhood and adolescence of the girl passed on her native Wyheke. The corner was picturesque, and the area was very disposed to extreme sports. The latter was interested in active Zoe much more than the natural beauty of the surrounding landscapes.
The girl was fond of mountain biking, as well as scuba diving or, in other words, diving. In addition, she was seriously engaged in:
- athletics;
- dancing
- gymnastics.
And the latter she gave particular preference. From an early age, Zoe Bell took part in the New Zealand gymnastics championships.
Stunt debut
Fate brought the future actress on the intended path when she was 14 years old. Father treated a stuntman with a skull injury. In a conversation that ensued, Andrew Bell talked about his daughter's sporting achievements. An interested patient asked the doctor to give young Zoe his contacts. Dr. Bell fulfilled the patient’s request and on the same day handed his daughter the stuntman’s phone number.
As a result, in 1992, Zoe first appeared on the set and performed her debut stunt, namely, she jumped out of a riding car. The tape, in which she was invited, was a multi-part New Zealand project "Shortland Street". So Zoe began her on-screen career as a stuntman.
When the girl was 15 years old, her sports passion became taekwondo. The process of studying this struggle captivated Zoe completely. In the development of martial art, she made amazing successes - mainly the existing gymnastic skills affected. Zoe devoted all her free time to studying taekwondo.
After receiving secondary education at a school for girls in Auckland, she entered Selween College. After graduating there, Bell already knew what she wanted to devote her life to. She plunged into the world of movie sets and stunt tricks that attracted her.
Dangerous profession
Since 1995, Zoe Bell takes part in the filming of battle scenes in the acclaimed fantasy television series:
- "Amazing wanderings of Hercules";
- "Xena - the Queen of Warriors".
Both projects were shot in the homeland of the girl - in beautiful New Zealand. By the time the next season of the story about Xena was released, Bell had turned from a simple stunt performer into a personal understudy for the lead singer Lucy Lawless. In the remaining half of the series, Zoe appeared in that capacity.
On the set of one of the scenes, she damaged the vertebrae, but continued to work until a week later a new poorly staged trick “finished off” her. Temporarily Zoe had to retire and undergo treatment.
Having recovered from a back injury, Bell began to work with renewed vigor. She worked on a variety of film sets and as a stuntman, and as a stunt director.
Invincible
In 2004-2005, Zoe duplicated:
- Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill";
- Sharon Stone in Catwoman.
Perhaps these films are her most successful stunt work, one might say, reference. For participating in these films, Zoe Bell received several nominations for a special award:
- for "Kill Bill" - "The best fight" and "Best stunt women-stuntmen" (twice for each);
- for "Catwoman" - "The best fall from a height."
She won only one award in the nomination for the best stunt.
In 2004, Bell took part in the filming of a documentary called "Fearless understudy" (alternative name - "Double Insolence"). The picture told about women - representatives of the stunt profession. The main characters were Zoe and her already old colleague in the workshop, Jenny Epper. The picture showed without embellishment the hard work of these workers in the Hollywood film industry.
