Authors? Now that’s a different story. Two years later, a producer saw footage of her “When I met Clive Barker and Stephen King, award-winning dive. “That’s what got me my SAG [Screen Actors I almost fell over,” Pascoe laughed. Pascoe said she once had her own 15 minutes Guild] card,” Pascoe remembered. She said her broadcast communications degree from Mill- of fame when actress Kristin Chenoweth recogersville has come in handy when she edits her nized her in a dressing room. Pascoe recalled, demo reels. “Chenoweth said she remembered me as the Pascoe’s list of screen and television credits mermaid in ‘Pushing Daisies.’ I said ‘You recruns deeper than the most prolific actor, reason ognized me?’ It was my one true Hollywood being that there are only a handful of stunt- moment.” women preforming at her level. To keep in shape, Pascoe says she exercises “There are only about a dozen of us who have a lot and eats four or five small meals a day to won awards,” said Pascoe, keep her metabolism high. While referring to the Diamond staying fit is a priority, Pascoe said in the Raw Awards given she needs to be careful not to bulk to stunt artists. She was up too much. honored recently for “Best “Actresses are not that musHigh Work.” cular,” said Pascoe, a 5’2” beauty For the past five years, who does yoga and Pilates to keep Pascoe has worked reguher body stretched out. “Doularly with the HBO series bling stuntwomen have to be “True Blood” as the stunt nondescript.” double for the female lead, Pascoe said her first major injury Anna Paquin, who won an came last year while she was hangOscar for The Piano. ing in a ratchet 15 feet off the “We are like a family,” ground. said Pascoe. “It is the best “The contraption was supposed stunt ensemble. I don’t to be pulling me where I needed Heidi Pascoe take long-run movies right to go, but it kept over-rotating,” now because I am committed to ‘True Blood.’” explained Pascoe. “I got spiked on the ground Pascoe is one of the most sought-after stunt- like a football. You have to rely on a lot of people. women in Hollywood largely due to her rare Basically I’m a dope on a rope.” combination or fearlessness and experience. Pascoe said she hit the ground twice while She has been Reese Witherspoon’s stunt double hanging upside down. “I think I dislocated my since 2004. Pascoe said, “I’ve worked on six proj- shoulder on the first hit and popped it back ects with her—the latest being This Means War. in the second time I hit.” Pascoe sustained a The gigs I did were car stunts, stunt driving and concussion and shoulder injuries, but was back a bug-to-jeep transfer.” working soon after the accident. “A lot of times I am the one they bring in,” said “I’ve been in car crashes countless times, and Pascoe. “The more work the merrier.” it’s a 15-foot drop that gets me,” Pascoe noted. A few years ago, Pascoe got the opportunity “At least 60 percent of the time it is not due to to live out one of her childhood fantasies. our error. I’ve had friends who were burned “I have always wanted to be a mermaid,” Pas- when a pyro load exploded too soon.” coe admitted. “I would wrap myself up in a towel According to Pascoe, stunt doubles typically and pretend to be one.” have a shelf life of 10-15 years. Although she Pascoe got her wish, twice, when she doubled doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, as a mermaid in both Pirates of the Caribbean Pascoe started training for her second career in and the short-lived TV show “Pushing Daisies.” show business as a set coordinator. “I had to go through six hours of makeup,” “I worked as a coordinator for the American said Pascoe, referring to her mermaid scene in Girl movie,” said Pascoe, who had to manage 50 “Pushing Daisies.” kids during a swimming pool scene. “You need While she has met countless actors in Hol- to find the right person for each shot…someone lywood, Pascoe seems immune to their star with the right hair and right measurements. It’s quality. harder than it seems.” “I see a lot of celebrities. Some are focused Pascoe is still amazed to be where she is on their lines, and some are super friendly,” today. “If you have a dream, you have to follow said Pascoe. “They are just normal people. I’ve it because you never know where it will go. I never been starstruck.” feel really blessed.”
To view Pascoe's stunt reel, click here. Hollywood Stuntwoman Spring 2012 13
Pascoe (left) is the stunt double for Anna Paquin, who stars in HBO’s hit series “True Blood. “
Pascoe’s dream of being a mermaid came true in “Pushing Daisies” and Pirates of the Caribbean.