Tell about yourself and your background! *
I’m a stunt performer originally from Norway who has worked internationally (China, Dubai, Europe, US) and is based in Los Angeles. I have an acting degree from New York which comes in handy. I was lucky enough to start my stunt career in live shows where I got training I would not have gotten anywhere else. I, together with my amazing friend and college Lauren Pugh, was the first female lead in a Dubai based stunt show, a show that was watched by 800.000 people during our 5 month run and was therefore called the biggest stunt show in the world at the time. During the pandemic I left LA for Europe as, while Hollywood was in a pause, filming in Europe was continuing as usual, and have been on contracts for numerous shows and movies for platforms such as Netflix and HBO the last couple of years.
What inspired you to become a stunt performer?
I always wanted to be in the film industry and it was clear from the beginning that stunts was something I wanted to do.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a stunt behind it?
I do a lot of wrecks, fights, wires the usual. But I’m also a licensed skydiver. I find so much freedom in skydiving and the fact that there is a skydiving community to join no matter where in the world you are is pretty incredible. To be able to skydive for a project would be amazing!
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
There’s always so much more to learn. And the fact that you get to go to work and collaborate with so many other people on set to make something incredible that hopefully will give something to someone watching it in the future is thrilling.
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
I was contracted by Action Horizons for Waterworld at Universal Studios Hollywood right before the pandemic hit. Sadly we only got a week in to rehearsals before Covid shut us down, but that week was truly insane. Not only was the rehearsals and getting to know the rest of the cast fun, but with rumors of this approaching virus we didn’t know anything about paired with a full week of a non stop heavy rain storm (in California, I mean come on!) while rehearing outside for this super intense show made that week almost an out of body experience. Definitely a week I’ll never forget.
What advice would you give other stunt performers?
I would say come as you are, there’s room and a need for everyone. I’m finding my place in this industry more and more for every project I do and realized quickly that the fact that I might not fit the stereotypical “stunt performer mold” is a very positive thing. I’m a girl’s girl who loves my acrylic nails and who’s party trick is to know the background story of the whole cast of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which sadly often has others question my abilities as a stunt performer (not that I see what my vanity and love for reality TV has to do with me being good at my job). If people who are not like you don’t understand you, that’s OK. Perhaps you’re not for them to understand. Me changing those aspects of myself to try and avoid judgement from others would not only be a disservice to myself, but, I believe, also to the progression of this industry.
Anything else you'd like to tell the community about?
I am so grateful to have been welcomed with such open arms into this industry both in Europe and in the US and am very excited for what’s to come.
Please share your social media handles and how we can follow you!
Instagram: linn.solem
Please include any links to stunt reels or videos you'd like to share!
