Left to right: Olivia Summers, Dee Bryant; Photo credit: Christina Gandolfo
Founders of the Association of Women Drivers (AWD), the world's first all-female stunt driving team, Olivia and Dee have spent the last twenty odd years pushing the limits of virtually anything powered by an engine. Along the way they’ve amassed a portfolio of over 500 credits in commercials alone, as well as over 300 in film and TV.
Olivia and Dee's work spans not only stunt driving, but also stunt coordination, stunt doubling and acting, with recognition by the World Taurus Stunt Awards, the SAG Awards, the NAACP Image Awards and the Artemis Women in Action Awards. Not surprisingly, they're not shy about challenging the industry boy's club mentality, and admit they're among the best at what they do.
The Howler reached out to Olivia and Dee for a glimpse into the world of stunt driving, the work that goes into it and how commercial shoots differ from film/TV in those aspects. Here's what they had to say.
What drove you to become stunt drivers? Was there any one particular "a-ha!" moment that kickstarted each of your passions for professional driving? Any standout films or personal experiences?
Olivia Summers: Growing up in Toronto, my dad taught me to drive snowmobiles and jet skis, and I learned to drive in his Ford pickup. I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in dance and had no idea stunt driving was even a profession until I met a group of stunt drivers who encouraged me to attend stunt driving school. On my first job, I had to hit precise marks with the car, and it came so naturally. I remember thinking, this is just like dance – finding your marks on stage without looking down. That connection made me fall in love with stunt driving, and today I'm known for sliding a car into a mark with precision.
Dee Bryant: I had been an all-around stuntwoman for nearly 20 years. Performing various physical stunts which were taxing on my body. Olivia convinced me that I possessed the necessary talent behind the wheel to become a top stunt driver. So I began to train with her and focus more on my driving skills.
How "seasoned" were you before taking your driving to the professional level? What field skills did you already have before going pro?
Olivia: I knew I was ready because I treated stunt driving like a profession, not a hobby. I trained at multiple schools, including stunt driving, racing, rally and drifting. It's like becoming a pilot – you wouldn't want to board a plane knowing the pilot only took one weekend class. The moment I really knew I was ready was when legendary stunt driver Jim Wilkey asked me to teach alongside him at his stunt driving school. Having someone I respected that much recognize my skills gave me the confidence to know I had earned my place in the industry.
Dee: I was already a seasoned motorcycle rider and very competent in driving large vehicles such as big rigs and buses. Before becoming a stuntwoman, I had been professionally trained to operate all forms of heavy construction equipment. Having those skills helped me to translate my experiences into stunt driving. After racing the guys and literally sliding earth movers on construction sites, racing and sliding cars on set was almost second nature for me.
What is the message you want to send to other women – especially aspiring stunt drivers, coordinators and actresses – by starting the Association of Women Drivers?
Olivia: My message is simple: train hard and be kind. Talent alone isn't enough. If you're not willing to put in the work, you won't succeed. And if you show up to set – or even to training – with a big ego, this industry will humble you quickly. People want to work with professionals who are prepared, dependable and enjoyable to be around. I also believe you have to train like an athlete. You can't expect to stay sharp if you only drive when you're hired. I've owned the same stunt practice car – a Ford Mustang – for nearly 15 years, and I still use it to practice regularly. The best stunt drivers never stop learning.The Association of Women Drivers was built to encourage women to train, support one another and prove themselves through hard work. There's room for everyone who's willing to put in the effort.
Dee: I advise everyone that I mentor to never stop training and avoid focusing on being great at only driving one vehicle or on one type of terrain. Learn to become competent at driving different types of vehicles in various types of environments. Coordinators and producers need to be informed that there are now talented women in our industry who are qualified to drive anything and everything in any situation.
Olivia: When Dee and I launched the Association of Women Drivers and Deadline picked up the story, my phone was blowing up with congratulatory calls and messages from stunt coordinators, directors and industry friends. I didn’t sleep the night before the article came out – I thought I was going to get a ton of negative feedback, and there were some not so happy male drivers. Overall, the younger generation of male stunt professionals has been incredibly supportive. As with any industry that's changing, there are still a few from the older generation who aren't quite ready to hand over the keys. At the end of the day, our goal has never been to compete with men. We just want a seat behind the wheel.
Dee: Ironically, the truly talented men in our industry have been the most supportive. The old, rusty guys are the only ones who seem to be intimidated or annoyed at being challenged by women who are equally as talented.
Your combined stunt coordination portfolio ranges from almost anything with an engine to plain human bodies. Do the same skills apply when coordinating a skateboarder as opposed to a biker - or even a biker compared to a driver or motorcyclist?
Olivia: I’ve always hired the best stunt person for the job – and sometimes that means my friends have to wait for the next one! The fundamentals are the same: communication, timing, precision and safety. Whether it’s a skateboarder, motorcycle or vehicle, everyone has to work together to hit their mark. I believe that’s why I’ve lasted in this industry. People trust that I’ll put the most qualified person in the position without having to “Go back to one” multiple times. At the end of the day, safety and professionalism come first.
Dee: I have coordinated feature films, commercials and major network television series. I have found that it's always easier for me to coordinate sequences involving vehicles because that's where my knowledge shines. I have never felt comfortable with asking a stunt performer to do something that I have never performed myself. There isn't much that I haven't done with a car, motorcycle, boat or even a bus. So I prefer to “stay in my lane” so to speak (pun intended). If I'm required to coordinate a big fight sequence, for example, then I hire a qualified fight coordinator who I can trust to choreograph the scene successfully while keeping everyone safe.
Olivia: YES! Commercials are a lot of money in a short amount of time. You have to be prepared, efficient and able to deliver. I only hire people who make me look good – which means they are the best at what they do. The goal is always to get the shot, ideally on the first take. Without sounding cocky, I’ve been called the “one take wonder,” and I’ll happily take that compliment!
Dee: Coordinating television and film is different than coordinating commercials because on commercials I have to collaborate with the client team as well as the director and producers, so I have to be incredibly communicative and go back-and-forth with a lot of people. Television and film productions are more siloed in terms of who I’m liaising with so oftentimes are easier.
For each of you, what has been the most daring stunt you've pulled off? Anything in particular that gives you goosebumps to think about? Would you do it again with or without making adjustments to the set?
Olivia: One of the most memorable stunts I’ve done was a Bing.com commercial recreating the iconic ending of Thelma & Louise. I was hired to play Thelma, with legendary stunt driver Debbie Evans as Louise. We shot it at the exact location from the film with a convertible Thunderbird, surrounded by stunt police cars with a helicopter flying in front of us just like the original scene. At one point, while we were facing the cliff, the accelerator got stuck. Debbie had her foot on the brake while I reached over and pulled the key out of the ignition. Another time, the car stalled in mid-air during a jump near the cliff, and we landed with no power steering. Thankfully, Debbie was the driver on that job – because there are very few people I’d want behind the wheel when a car starts acting funky.
Would I do it again? Absolutely – but I’d definitely have a long conversation with that Thunderbird first!
Dee: By far, my most daring stunt was a boat chase sequence that I performed while doubling Kerry Washington in the film titled Shadow Force. The boat driver that was chasing me slammed into my boat harder than intended which nearly flipped my boat over. I was harnessed into the boat in order to keep me from being thrown overboard during the dangerous stunt sequences. I get goosebumps til this day thinking about whether or not I would've been able to escape from that boat had it actually gone over. I would 1000 percent do it all over again but I definitely wouldn't allow them to secure me into the boat like that ever again!
Olivia: My bucket list goal is to book a role with Paul Feig directing. Since COVID, I went back to acting classes and have really been focusing on the acting side of my career. I grew up watching SCTV. My sister Elizabeth and I both worked at The Second City in Toronto, and I come from a fun, comedic, quick-witted family, so comedy has always been a big part of who I am. I first met Paul when I worked on Bridesmaids and did the driving sequence getting Officer Rhodes’ attention. I’ve been lucky that lately I’ve been booking more acting roles, especially comedic ones. While filming Good Fortune with Aziz Ansari, I improvised a scene with Seth Rogen. At one point, Aziz walked over to me and asked, “What do you do?” I said, “I’m an actor and a stunt driver – you hired me.” He said, “You’re very funny.” and walked away. So now my dream is to work with Paul Feig as an actor! Paul, if you’re seeing this… DM me!
Dee: It would be a dream for me to be hired in a high action sequence that would display all of my skills. Maybe jump out of an airplane (I'm a licensed skydiver), land on a snow covered mountain where I snowboard down to the bottom then hop on a motorcycle and race off towards civilization, then dump the bike for a car that I drift thru the city, arriving at a marina where I board a speed boat and head off to a tropical island where I dock the boat and don my scuba gear (I'm a licensed Divemaster) and disappear into the crystal blue waters. Too much?? C'mon T-Mobile, that would be a HOT campaign! 😉
