- Born
- Birth nameZoë E. Bell
- Nickname
- Zoe the Cat
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- As an established and extremely talented stunt double and actress, Zoe Bell has made a name for herself through her unparalleled dedication, skills, and focus.
Zoe Bell was born on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, to Tish, a nurse, and Andrew Bell, a doctor. She has a background in gymnastics and martial arts. She began working as a stunt woman when she doubled Lucy Lawless on the cult favorite TV series Xena: Warrior Princess (1995). Bell also appeared as a double in the ABC thriller Alias (2001) and on an episode of Cleopatra 2525 in 2000 as a double for Vicki Pratti. In the action packed-documentary Double Dare (2004), Bell, along with legendary stunt-woman Jeannie Epper, give an insight into the career of women who take falls and punches for a living. Double Dare also gives a glimpse into the struggles of stunt-women to stay thin, employed, and sane in a male-dominated career.
After the cancellation of Xena, Bell's next gig was working with Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), playing the stunt double for Uma Thurman's role, The Bride. Bell was nominated for her work in Kill Bill, Vol. 1 in the categories of Best Stunt by a Stunt Woman and Best Fight for the Taurus World Stunt Awards, both of which she would win the following year for Kill Bill: Vol. 2. Bell also showed off her stunt-woman skills as a double for Sharon Stone in Halle Barry's Catwoman (2004).
Bell was injured in the final days of filming, requiring surgery, but she has since recovered and returned to work. Bell appeared along with legendary stunt woman Jeannie Epper in Amanda Micheli's acclaimed documentary Double Dare (2004), which offers a glimpse at the lives and careers of both women, as well as the friendship they share.
Bell debuted her acting career, with her already famous stunt skills, in the double feature Grindhouse (2007) written by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. She was hand-picked, by Tarentino himself, to star in his segment of the double feature, Death Proof (2007), about four women working in the film industry that are stalked by a murderer in his Death Proof car.
Bell, a native of New Zealand, resides in Los Angeles but hopes to someday own a home in New Zealand.
- IMDb mini biography by: Azure_Girl and Nicole Nassar Public Relations
- ParentsTish BellAndrew Bell
- At the 2005 MTV Movie Awards, Quentin Tarantino revealed that Zoe had broken bones in her back and she didn't realize it until a month later.
- When a scene in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 was nominated for an MTV Movie award for best fight, and subsequently won, Zoe Bell accepted the award on Uma Thurman's behalf, appropriately since she was the one who did most of the fighting.
- Worked with actress and friend Adrienne Wilkinson on both Xena: Warrior Princess (1995) and Reflections (2008).
- Was given "The Bells" sign from Jeannie Bell's (assumed name of Vernita Green, played by Vivica A. Fox) yard by Uma Thurman after production wrapped on the Kill Bill films, which she later gave to her parents.
- Was member of the Jury for the official fantastic film selection at the 40th Sitges International Film Festival, on October 2007.
- I think the biggest shift for me is - this is going to sound like a wanky actor, but - getting in touch with, and learning to not just appreciate, but actually really enjoy being a woman. Because for so long I was a jock, and I was an athlete, and I was a tomboy, and people would joke about like, fancy dress, you should go as a girl.
- I mean, acting or stunts, doing my job means doing my job, and I'm loving it. It's fun to put my face in front of the camera; I'm really enjoying the process. But at this point, it's still just not too easy to go around describing myself as an actor. It took me a good long while to get to where I could do it not only without laughing, but without trembling a little bit, which is terrible, but... I mean, I was really hesitant to 100 percent walk down that path, to expose myself to that.
- My job as a double was always to put [actors] at ease. My job was to make my character, or the actress that I was doubling, look as badass as possible by being there.
- I had to paint the picture that I was never scared, otherwise I couldn't do my job. But now, as an actor, I'm literally paid to look emotionally accessible.
- My favorite thing in moviemaking is to shoot in chronological order if at all possible, because it just helps for continuity and all the logistical purposes. It also helps with performance and the journey of each character, but I also think it's good for the director and everyone [else] involved.
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