by When Gal Gadot brings the iconic superhero Wonder Woman to life on the big screen, it’s not only her acting chops that make the action scenes so thrilling and realistic.
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She gets a lot of help from her talented stunt doubles, who put their physical abilities and skills on full display during the most intense moments in the films.
In 2017’s smash hit “Wonder Woman” and its sequel “Wonder Woman 1984,” Gadot worked closely with three incredible stuntwomen who brought their unique talents to the table. From high-flying acrobatics to brutal hand-to-hand combat, these ladies left everything on the set when the cameras were rolling.
Let’s take a closer look at Gal Gadot’s main stunt doubles in the Wonder Woman films and the amazing skills they contributed.
Caitlin Burles: The Gymnast Turned Stunt Double
When director Patty Jenkins needed a stunt double who could match Gadot’s slender athleticism for “Wonder Woman,” she turned to seasoned performer Caitlin Burles. With over 10 years of experience in Hollywood blockbusters under her belt, Burles was more than up to the task.
Before becoming Gadot’s go-to stunt double, Burles was an accomplished gymnast. She spent over a decade competing at a high level, giving her near-perfect control over her body. This gymnastic background is on full display in Wonder Woman, enabling Burles to keep up with Gadot in action scenes requiring running, jumping, flipping, and tumbling.
Burles also has extensive training in stunt fighting, allowing her to seamlessly blend with Gadot during hand-to-hand battle scenes. Her work with Gadot can be seen in nearly every major action sequence in both Wonder Woman films. Fans especially love her death-defying leap from a tower in one memorable scene that showcases her gymnastic abilities.
Thanks to her proven versatility, filmmakers continue to book Burles as Gadot’s long-time stunt double for upcoming projects like the spy thriller “Heart of Stone.”
Jessie Graff: The Athlete Who Defies Gravity
If Caitlin Burles brings the graceful moves, then Jessie Graff provides the sheer power. This professional stuntwoman doubles for Gadot during some of the most physically demanding scenes in “Wonder Woman” that require raw athleticism.
Graff’s specialty is parkour, which she practiced at an elite level for over a decade before becoming a stunt performer. Parkour involves running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, and rolling through various environments with speed and efficiency.
As a result, Graff moves through sets like a real-life superhero, able to scale walls, leap between rooftops, or attack from any angle. Fans can see her parkour prowess on display during several iconic sequences in “Wonder Woman,” enabling Gadot’s character to strike from unexpected angles during action scenes.
In addition to her jaw-dropping parkour abilities, Graff is also freakishly strong thanks to years of CrossFit training. The 140-pound athlete can deadlift over twice her body weight and do muscle-ups all day long. This next-level fitness allows her to grapple and wrestle equally matched opponents in fight scenes.
Between her gravity-defying agility and herculean strength, Jessie Graff brings a one-of-a-kind physical presence that Wonder Woman’s character demands. She’ll likely continue pushing her abilities to the limits as Gadot’s stunt double for future installments in the franchise.
Samantha Jo: The Falling and Fighting Specialist
While Caitlin Burles and Jessie Graff cover a lot of ground with their respective skill sets, there are still a few things that require an additional stunt double. That’s where British stuntwoman Samantha Jo comes in.
With expertise in both gymnastics and stunt fighting, Jo crosses over nicely with Burles in terms of look and ability. But where Jo really shines is her specialty with falls and aerial maneuvers.
As a seasoned rappelling and wirework expert, Jo can make high falls look easy through precise technique. Filmmakers tap her whenever Wonder Woman needs to dramatically jump or plummet from tall buildings and cliffs. Given the character’s ability to fly in the comics, this level of aerial agility is essential.
Jo also handles stunts involving horses and water work. Her comfortability acting alongside unpredictable animals while battling river rapids allows the crew to get shots they couldn’t otherwise.
And similar to Burles, Jo is an adept fighter who can trade blows in close quarters combat. Between her punching, kicking, blocking, and grappling skills, she holds her own against larger opponents. This expands the types of action scenes the production team can take on.
With Samantha Jo rounding out the stunt double talent, the filmmakers can rest assured knowing Wonder Woman can handle anything they throw her way. Jo’s specialty skills patch any holes left by the other doubles’ capabilities.
The Unique Assets Gal Gadot’s Stunt Doubles Bring to the Wonder Woman Films
When you combine Caitlin Burles, Jessie Graff, and Samantha Jo, stunt coordinator Jonathan Eusebio has built a dream team perfectly suited for bringing Wonder Woman to life. Each woman offers unique talents that the filmmakers skillfully utilize:
• Caitlin Burles – Years of high-level gymnastics make her incredibly agile while also matching Gadot’s slender build. She handles most of the hand-to-hand fight scenes and high-flying jumps.
• Jessie Graff – Her elite parkour skills allow her to scale walls and buildings in death-defying fashion. She also provides unmatched athleticism and power in demanding stunts.
• Samantha Jo – As an expert in wirework falls and aerial stunts, she enables Wonder Woman to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Her comfort with horses and in water enables more dynamic action.
Very few actresses could pull off Wonder Woman’s iconic stunts on their own. Gal Gadot admits she relies heavily on her doubles to translate the character’s superhuman abilities into believable on-screen action.
“I have the most amazing stunt girls in the world on this movie,” Gadot said while filming. “They do all the hard work, and I just take credit for it.”
By recruiting specialty doubles, director Patty Jenkins could choreograph elaborate fight sequences and gravity-defying feats a single stuntwoman couldn’t reasonably perform. Each double’s unique skill set allowed the production to combine gymnastics, martial arts, parkour, and wirework into thrilling scenes.
Let’s look behind the scenes at how these wonder women helped create the most memorable action moments from the Wonder Woman films.
Behind the Scenes: How Gadot’s Stunt Doubles Made Movie Magic
While Gal Gadot focused on dialogue-heavy scenes as the Amazonian Princess Diana, her three doubles made it possible to showcase Wonder Woman’s full range of action abilities.
Each stunt double specialized in the scenes best suited to her strengths. Then through clever camera angles and editing, their work blended seamlessly with Gadot’s performance.
Here’s a glimpse at how the stunt team worked their magic:
The Alley Fight Scene: Burles Shines in Close Quarters Combat
In one of the first major fight scenes from the original film, Wonder Woman disarms and defeats a band of armed attackers in an alleyway. The scene requires close-range fighting showcasing martial arts and gymnastics.
That’s why Caitlin Burles was director Patty Jenkins’ first choice to execute this stunt-heavy sequence. With Burles dressed identically to Gadot, they filmed the scene in segments, swapping between actor and double.
In the final edited version, Burles performs most of the intense combat. You can see her gymnast agility on display as she twirls through the air, leaving grown men helpless in her wake. Seamless editing weaves her athletic moves with Gadot’s dramatic reactions.
The result is a crisp fight sequence that kicks Wonder Woman’s journey into high gear. It establishes her martial prowess while showcasing the stunt team’s capabilities.
No Man’s Land Scene: Jessie Graff Flies into Battle
In perhaps the most iconic scene from 2017’s “Wonder Woman,” Diana crosses No Man’s Land to liberate a small village from German soldiers. Along the way she deflects bullets and launches herself through the air to take down machine gun nests.
To capture this epic scene, the production again used creative camera work and editing to blend Gadot with her doubles. But the focus here is Jessie Graff, who leaps and flies across the battlefield like a true Amazonian warrior.
You can see Graff’s parkour precision at work as she scales obstacles and attacks from unexpected angles. Her explosive power also enables Wonder Woman to go blow-for-blow against groups of soldiers. Through flawless editing, Graff and Gadot become one as Wonder Woman claims victory.
This scene encapsulates everything heroic and superhuman about Diana’s character. By recruiting a stunt double with Graff’s rare athletic gifts, the filmmakers brought this iconic comic book moment to life in epic fashion.
The White House Fight: Jo Adds High-Flying Fun
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