Wonder Woman stunt-double Jeannie Epper left a legacy for stuntwomen in Hollywood
Epper — dubbed ‘the greatest stuntwoman who ever lived’ — has died at the age of 83
Stuntwoman Jeannie Epper was "an icon" and a "glass ceiling smasher," says Amanda Micheli, a filmmaker who spent six years making movie about the stuntwoman's life and impact on Hollywood.
Epper — one of Hollywood's most renowned stunt performers — died on Sunday at the age of 83.
She appeared in over 150 films and was a stunt double for some of the most significant female action figures in film and television during the 1970s and '80s, including Lynda Carter in the iconic TV series Wonder Woman.
She was considered one of the greatest at her craft. Entertainment Weekly in 2007 called her "the greatest stuntwoman who ever lived."
But Micheli, who directed the 2004 documentary Double Dare, says that she should be remembered more as "someone who kicked doors open for other women" in the stunt industry.
"[She] inspired women not only in Hollywood, but in all sorts of male-dominated industries to follow their dreams," she told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
'Her DNA is in all of us stuntwomen'
Epper's 70-year-long career started when she was only nine. She came from a family dynasty of stunt performers that included both her parents, John and Frances Epper.
She was a beloved wife, mother and grand-mother. All three of her children, Eurlyne, Richard and Kurtis, worked as stunt performers.
In 1968, Jeannie Epper co-founded the Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures (SWAMP), serving as its president in 1999 and later as an honorary member.
Her contributions to the industry were recognized in 2007 when she became the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Taurus World Stunt Awards.
SWAMP president Katie Rowe says Epper's legacy extends beyond blood ties and lives in the younger stunt generation.
"Her DNA is in all of us stuntwomen," Rowe said. "All stuntwomen working today owe a debt of gratitude to her."
Career in a man's world
While doubling for Carter on Wonder Woman, Epper performed daring stunts that included crashing through windows, kicking down doors, and deflecting bullets.
"I have a lot to say about Jeannie Epper. Most of all, I loved her," Carter said on X, formerly Twitter. " I will miss you."
Epper also doubled Lindsay Wagner on Bionic Woman and Kate Jackson on the original Charlie's Angels.
She was a constant presence on films directed or produced by Steven Spielberg, including 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1982's Poltergeist and 2002's Minority Report.
More recently, her work appeared in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
In the '70s and '80s, the Hollywood stunt industry was heavily male-dominated, with most action movies centred around male protagonists.
"She led the way for women in our industry, at a time when they threw dresses and wigs on men to double females," Rowe said.
Despite being a minority in the stunt industry, Epper actively advocated for the improvement of costumes and stunt performance conditions for women, who often had to perform stunts without pads due to restrictive outfits like miniskirts or swimsuits.
Rowe describes her as "stunt royalty" who was "a great, fun spirit and a really lovely person."
She was also extremely approachable, and was always gentle in giving advice and uplifting people around her, Rowe says.
"She was as tough as nails, but as kind as can be," Rowe said.
Micheli says she's very excited for the next generation of stuntwomen to follow in Epper's footsteps.
"She created a larger family and a sisterhood of mentoring younger women and inspiring them," she said.
With files from The Associated Press. Interview with Amanda Micheli produced by Philip Drost
