Double Dare (film) facts for kids

Double Dare is a 2004 documentary film that tells the exciting story of two amazing stuntwomen: Jeannie Epper and Zoë Bell. The film was directed by Amanda Micheli. It follows their lives and careers over several years, showing the challenges and triumphs of working as stunt performers in Hollywood. The movie covers a period from 1997 for Jeannie Epper and from 2001 to 2003 for Zoë Bell.

The Story of Double Dare

The film starts as Zoë Bell finishes her work on the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess. At the same time, Jeannie Epper, a very experienced stuntwoman, is looking for new jobs in Hollywood. Even though she is older, Jeannie wants to keep working.

Zoë Bell faces a challenge after Xena ends. She isn't sure what to do next in her career. Meanwhile, Jeannie Epper works hard to get a special category for women included in the Taurus World Stunt Awards. These awards celebrate the best stunt performers.

Meeting and Opportunities

Zoë is invited to the United States for a Xena fan convention. There, she meets Jeannie Epper. With some help, Zoë gets a ticket to attend the stunt awards. Later, Zoë gets an offer to work on a TV series called Cleopatra 2525. However, she doesn't get the job in the end and returns home to New Zealand.

The film then jumps forward one year. Zoë is still training and hoping for a job. She plans to move to America. She stays with Jeannie Epper, who is trying to get a job working on the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Preparing for Hollywood

Jeannie helps Zoë get ready for her career in America. She helps Zoë put together a CV (a list of her skills and experience) and head shots (professional photos). Jeannie also warns Zoë about how tricky Hollywood can be.

Jeannie takes Zoë to a training session. There, they meet Kenny Lesco, who works for director Quentin Tarantino. Kenny is looking for a stunt double for actress Uma Thurman in a new movie called Kill Bill. Kenny sets up an audition for Zoë on the same day.

Working on Kill Bill

Jeannie and Zoë drive to Tarantino's training center for the audition. They meet Quentin Tarantino himself, who watches Zoë perform. Zoë is thrilled when she gets the job to be Uma Thurman's stunt double! She is then sent to Beijing to train with the famous action director Yuen Woo-ping.

Eventually, Zoë begins filming for Kill Bill Vol. 1. The documentary shows her working on exciting fight scenes. This includes the big fight between Beatrix Kiddo (played by Uma Thurman) and O-Ren Ishii (played by Lucy Liu) and her bodyguards. The film ends with Jeannie Epper being honored by the Stuntmen's Association. Zoë Bell also talks about her bright future as a stuntwoman.

Cast

• Jeannie Epper as Herself
• Zoë Bell as Herself (credited as Zoe Bell)
• Lynda Carter as Herself
• Lucy Lawless as Herself
• Eurlyne Epper as Herself
• Ken Howard as Himself
• Terry Leonard as Himself
• Quentin Tarantino as Himself
• Steven Spielberg as Himself
• May Boss as Herself
• Terry Frick as Himself
• Conrad E. Palmisano as Himself

Awards

• AFI Audience Award - Best Documentary - 2003
• San Francisco International Film Festival - Audience Award
• Woodstock Film Festival - Best Documentary and Best Editing
• Independent Film Festival of Boston - Jury and Audience Award
• Sonoma Valley Film Festival - Audience Award