Velvet Fist - Hollywood Stuntwoman Gloria O'Brien Fontenot

Making it in the Tough World of Burns, Fights and Stunts

They crash cars, catch fire, ride bikes, fall from buildings and double for some of the most beautiful women in the movies - welcome to the world of Hollywood stuntwomen.

“Doing stunts isn’t glamorous, and it isn’t easy. All I want is to always strive to be just a little better, just a little smarter and just a little more prepared. That’s where I really get the satisfaction. What we do is a calculated risk - we don’t just go hurl ourselves out into danger”.

Meet Jessica Biel and Drew Barrymore - or rather, the person who doubled for them and did their motorbike stunt work - Irish-American stuntwoman Gloria O’Brien Fontenot. As well as her work in Blade III and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, she has worked in Constantine, The Italian Job, Spiderman 2, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Scream 3, doubling for Jenny McCarthy, Maria Bello and even Gwen Stefani in the No Doubt video “Ex-Girlfriend” along the way.

One of the founding members of the V10 Women Stunt Professionals, Gloria recently spoke to The Irish Herald about the industry, her Irish ancestry - “My Dad is part Irish, also German and American Indian. As with most Americans, we’re pretty mixed a few generations down” - and her career, which has been largely based in Los Angeles.

“I live in Riverside, California - lots of sunshine – and I was born and raised in the suburbs of the LA area. It’s all I’ve ever known. I started show business when I was six and did my first commercial. I had all the training and lessons at music, dance, 7 years of ballet and competed gymnastics. Stunts is kinda the “hybrid” of being raised in the business but really having my passion in sports”.

Gloria’s uncle was Cubby O’Brien, who was an original “Mousekateer” and is now a drummer on Broadway. Both her grandfathers were also professional musicians, and Gloria has two children, Michael and Megan, who have already acted in movies: