UCLA alum, former gymnasts put skills to use by working as stunt doubles

Walk around the set of the latest stunt-filled, action-packed television show and you may be surprised to see a few signature blue UCLA athletic backpacks lying around.

From shows such as “Make It Or Break It” to “Greek,” UCLA gymnasts have established themselves in Hollywood as the go-to girls when it comes to stunt doubling.

Going to school in the city that’s home to Hollywood has had its perks for UCLA gymnasts. Film and television producers have turned to the likes of UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field when in need of someone whose athletic ability exceeds that of the average actor.

“In any given week, I get two to three calls asking for specific types of gymnasts for either commercial or stunt work. … We live in a market where if people are searching for someone to do stunt work, the first place they look is UCLA gymnastics,” Kondos Field said.

Alumnae and former UCLA gymnasts Natalie Padilla and Ariana Berlin both got involved in stunt work with very little searching on their part. Their flipping and leaping skills allowed Padilla and Berlin to skip the countless auditions and callbacks that actors and actresses must normally endure before landing a gig.

“I found out about the opportunities through my coach. I knew stunt doubling existed, but I wasn’t really interested in it until it came up and fell in my lap,” Padilla said. “I got involved right after I got done with school. … One of the actresses my coach had seen from “˜Make It Or Break It’ matched my body so I went in and we did the pilot, and the show ended up being picked up.”

Similar to Padilla, Berlin’s break between competing for UCLA and working on a Hollywood set was a short one.

“A lot of the older UCLA gymnast alumni helped set me up since they were already doing it while I was still competing for UCLA. Literally the day I finished competing, I got the stunt coordinator’s number, called him up and basically said, “˜I just finished competing for UCLA and want to work for you.’ I went in, talked to them, and have been working ever since,” Berlin said.

While college is usually seen as the wind-down of a gymnast’s career, Padilla, Berlin and other Bruin gymnasts have managed to keep gymnastics a part of their lives. They have stunt doubled for people such as Ellen DeGeneres and Bonnie Hunt and have worked in movies like the upcoming “Honey 2″ and shows including “Three Rivers,” “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Make It Or Break It,” the ABC Family drama about a girls gymnastics team.

“It’s not so much that gymnastics opens the door to the stunt world. I think that if someone is a gymnast, stunts come as an afterthought … like how can you use your talent to make a living if you don’t have another cash-in,” Berlin said. “For me, I wouldn’t even have gotten into stunts if (“Make It Or Break It”) hadn’t come up. The opportunity presented itself at the perfect time and that’s how I got into it.”

Transitioning from competitive gymnastics arenas to working on sets combines new experiences with familiar sensations. According to Kondos Field, gymnasts oftentimes may not be used to the “hurry up and wait” aspect of the Hollywood industry. Stunt doubles are expected to be on set at the very beginning of shooting and never know when they are going to be called on.

“You have to be warmed up and ready to go on the drop of a hat when they need you. You can be waiting around not just for hours, but for days for your particular part to come around,” Kondos Field said.

While waiting around may be something new for gymnasts like Padilla and Berlin, Padilla said that when it comes time to perform, old college gymnastics instincts begin to surface.

“Having the experience of competing does translate to set. … When they say, “˜Action,’ I get that feeling of “˜Okay, this is it. This is my turn. I need to make it,'” Padilla said.

While the adrenaline and nerves are still there, Berlin said that being on set is a much more laid-back experience than what she’s used to.

“In a competition, you only have one chance. On set, if you mess up you can keep trying until you make it perfect,” Berlin said.

With their physical talent and their location in Los Angeles, Bruin gymnasts are a hot commodity within the world of entertainment. Having so much control over their bodies has put them in a valuable position within the industry.

“If we have to jump off a building, we can pretty much make it look good. I think that’s why gymnasts do so well in the industry,” Berlin said.