Blade the Series is in full swing. Not only do we get a great story line, but we also get to see some fantastic action. We spoke with Kylie Furneaux, who is a stunt double for both Chase and Krista, about her career and Blade the Series.

TheBigBadWolf: What made you want to become a stunt woman?


Kylie Furneaux: I was working as an outdoor guide and loved a job where I got to use physical skills and that was different every day. When I didn’t want to guide anymore, stunts was the only other job that seemed to match the bill.

TheBigBadWolf:How did you become a stunt woman? Where did you go to train etc?


Kylie Furneaux: When I decided to become a stunt woman I looked at the stunt industry in Vancouver and realized that most women my size specialized in gymnastics and so began to train fighting. Ernest Jackson, who some of you might recognize as the stunt coordinator from Blade, owns an establishment called the Action Room. It is a place where stunt performers train to fight. I have been training there for almost 5 years now with the trainer Kirk Jaques who has taught me a huge variety of techniques including kicks, punches, trapping hands and wrestling, as well as a whole lot of weapons including sai, long staff, sword, knife, kali sticks. I also learn some gymnastics. Then there is the on the job training for things like stair falls and smashing into walls. Nobody really wants to rehearse that stuff too much. Once, when the director yells “Action” is usually enough.

TheBigBadWolf: What was your first stunt job and what was that whole experience like?



Kylie Furneaux: My first stunt day was a little strange for me because it was one of the rare stunt days where it is my face on camera (usually it is just my back). I was a bride that got killed by someone falling on them on their wedding day for Dead Like Me. The scariest part of the day for me was the fact that I had to kiss the groom for about 5 seconds before the stunt. I was very excited to be working as a stunt performer though because it was a 5 year dream come true.


TheBigBadWolf: You post a very impressive resume. Can you tell us what stunt was your favorite on the following films?

Supernatural:

Kylie Furneaux: For Supernatural I had to do my first mini tramp stunt. A mini tramp is literally that - a mini sized trampoline and is one of the techniques used when the director wants someone to fly through the air for something like a superhuman throw or an explosion. I had to be thrown into a wall by a ghost girl in an episode called Providence. Nothing like jumping off a mini ramp in high heels and hitting a wall 6 feet away and 6 feet up and then landing on a hardwood floor!

TheBigBadWolf: Blood Rayne:

Kylie Furneaux: Blood Rayne was filmed largely in Romania but they did reshoots in Vancouver and because I do a lot of weapons stuff I was hired to flesh out the scene in which she has just picked up the swords and is training in the forest. They were such heavy and unwielding weapons with many sharp points that my stomach was cut up and I couldn’t use my arms for a few days. As they were only using my body from the neck down they didn’t get a proper wig and I ended up wearing a red clown wig for most of the day...


TheBigBadWolf: X-Men Three:


Kylie Furneaux: I did my favorite fight scene ever for this show. I got to fight Wolverine as my own character. I had sharp teeth and claws and had to jump at Hugh Jackman as he was fighting other mutants. I land in his arms and go for his neck with my legs wrapped around his waist. He shook me off and then I jump on his back and we wrestle for a bit. He then flings me over his head and stabs me in the chest. Unfortunately they edited most of the stunt mutant fights out and I am left with only my memories of many rehearsals spent in Hugh Jackmans arms...oops back to stunts...

TheBigBadWolf: Elektra:


Kylie Furneaux: I was the second unit double for Jennifer Garner which meant that although I rehearsed most of the stunts on the show from mere concepts through development to the stage that they are ready to be performed, I rarely did any of the stunts for film. The directors favorite one however was one I got to perform and probably one of my hardest stunts ever although it may not look like much on film. It is right at the beginning where Elektra is breaking into the mansion. She leaps up to a beam and then runs across about 9 beams sticking out. This was pretty hard because the beams were not the same distance apart and ranged between 5 foot and 6 foot apart. They only stuck out a foot from the wall (my shoulders are wider than that so I had to turn sideways as I jumped). They were about 10 feet high and I was on a wire that didn’t hold me up but stopped me from hitting the ground if I fell. And then they put me in 3 inch heels and wanted to shoot from below so the hood had to be shadowing my face meaning I could hardly see the beams. Extremely challenging. It took about 5 takes to get it and I was so relieved to get it that I forgot to act at the end and we had to go again.


TheBigBadWolf: Catwoman:

Kylie Furneaux: In the fight scene at the end between Catwoman and Sharon Stone’s character, I was again the second unit double. This meant I rehearsed the big smashes but in this case, I got to do them on film too. My favorite was the one at the beginning of the fight where Catwoman kicks Sharon into a picture of herself attached to a wire fence and then Sharon falls face first on to a photo box of a photo of herself. This was tricky as I had to be attached to two different wire systems. One pulled me up and backwards into the fence and another pulled me violently face first onto the photo box. They actually wanted to see Sharon’s character’s face hit through the photo box and so it was a pretty violent hit and you guessed it... MY face went through the photo box.

TheBigBadWolf: Alone in the Dark:


Kylie Furneaux: I had to rip a soldiers throat out for this show. It was my first experience with blood and prosthetics. I had to squeeze his throat and let the blood run through my fingers and then rip his throat out revealing a severed larynx which would then pump blood into my face as I laughed. I had nightmares for a week. Whoever says that it is easy to distinguish reality from film was wrong. The skin felt real in my hand and the blood felt sticky and every time I shut my eyes, all I could see was this guy “dying” in my hands. Ew.


TheBigBadWolf: Let’s move to the present, how did you land the stunt work in Blade the Series?

Kylie Furneaux: I am 5’8. Same height as Jill and when I am wearing the wig and wardrobe, I look remarkably similar to her. I also specialize in fighting which tends to be what these vampire chicks do a lot of.

TheBigBadWolf: Did you do any research on vampires, how they moved etc, when you got the role?


Kylie Furneaux: There are always vampire roles floating around. There are many different styles of moving and fighting. . I did alot of research about Chase and Krista because they are both such different characters. As a stunt performer, you need to be a bit of a chameleon and be able to take on the characteristics of the actor or character. This helps editors be able to make the matches flawlessly between stunt double and actress. I also try to talk to my actresses and find out the vision that they have for character and that helps when developing the fight scenes.

Krista is newly turned with an army background. She has the superhuman ability of a vampire but has not had the years to develop different fighting styles. She would have the skills that she learnt in the army which is more close combat, knives and guns. A get in, inflict damage and get out kind of style. She is a very strong and tough character and that reflects in how she moves.

Chase is a very sexual and sensual character. She is an ex-actress and dancer so she needs to move with grace and style. She has been turned for years and is used as Marcus’ primary assassin. This means she has had time to work on her martial arts techniques and can pull out some pretty cool kicks and blocks.
I am more Krista than Chase and I can tell you, pulling off the Jessica Gower sexy walk in 3 inch heels after throwing someone through a door was a little challenge for me.

TheBigBadWolf: We have seen many cool stunts and fights so far on Blade the Series that feature Krista Starr (Jill Wagner) and Chase (Jessica Gower). Was that really you in there doing a lot of the flips and kicks?


Kylie Furneaux: I would love to take credit for the fight scenes that you have seen already in Blade but unfortunately I don't appear until episode 11. I was filming X-Men 3 for three months at the beginning of filming. I am hoping for more of a showing in Season two if it goes ahead.

TheBigBadWolf: What has been your favorite stunt so far while on the set of Blade the Series?


Kylie Furneaux: Ah see, now this is a hard question to answer without giving anything away. I am a fighter and someone who needed me to wear a blonde wig does a kick ass fight near the end of the season. Keep watching - it is worth a look....

TheBigBadWolf: Have you ever seen the Blade movies? If so, which stands out to you as your favorite?


Kylie Furneaux: All I ever really watch are action movies. Not really a romantic comedy girl so I have seen all the Blades. I really enjoyed Blade Trinity but I am bias because it was filmed in Vancouver and although I didn’t work on it (I wasn’t a stunt performer yet) I recognized many people who I work with all the time stunting in it. That always makes a film more interesting but for action, I would have to go with the second Blade.


TheBigBadWolf: Do you have any interesting stories to tell from the Blade the Series set?

Kylie Furneaux: Again, hard to tell just yet without giving any spoilers...

I can tell you a “when stunts go wrong” tale. Those of you who read my article for Bladefan.com will have already heard about the wall falling down that wasn’t meant to. Well this happened the very next day... I was doubling Jill and Krista has to jump through a steel wall. The wall was made of a soft lead that I was assured would just give way when I leapt at it. The director called “Action” and I ran hard at the wall. The lead was thicker than I thought and it only gave way a little, then it split and then I oozed through to the other side. For any of you who have seen Ace Ventura, it was kind of like being born out of the rhino’s bum. For those of you that haven't seen it, please ignore that last comment. Not the kind of action the director was looking for and needless to say, the lead was thinner the second time.

TheBigBadWolf: Where can fans learn more about you?


Kylie Furneaux: The best place to find me is on myspace.com/kyliefurneaux. If you have any questions or comments, I would be happy to hear from you.

TheBigBadWolf: Thank you for taking the time to do an interview Kylie. We look forward to speaking with you again soon.

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