Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Hutson.
Caitlin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My earliest memories as a performer involve throwing concerts for my family in our living room to The Backstreet Boys’ hottest tracks and tumbling down the soccer field during my brother’s halftimes. I think I’ve always known I was meant to be a performer, and despite the onslaught of obstacles that threatened to veer me in other directions, I’ve always found my way back in front of an audience. Even as I’m writing this, it’s a weird truth to face because I’ve always been rather shy. Most people meet me and the last thing they expect is to find a curriculum vitae full of Thespians, musicals, martial arts, and—most recently—stunt work. However, I’ve come to realize that being on stage or in front of a camera are the only times when I can take my off my masks, lose the restraints, and express my true self in a safe, liberating way.
I’ve tackled just about every type of performance throughout my journey as an entertainer. First, it was gymnastics, then dance for almost 15 years. In elementary school, I did “Music Kids”, performing in musicals and choreographing for our holiday shows. At age seven, I began Martial Arts, which has been a huge, transformative part of my life. In middle school I discovered Shakespeare. In high school, I was the president of my school’s drama club. My brief stint in college took me into the realm of experimental theatre before I began performing in professional live stunt shows. It was while on tour with Marvel Universe Live that I made the decision to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in film as a stunt performer.
Stunts may seem like a hard-left turn in my journey, but to me, it is the perfect amalgamation of my favorite things in the world—performing, martial arts, and doing stuff that people don’t think I’m capable of. I prefer to call myself a “stunt performer” rather than a “stunt woman” because it emphasizes that, yes, stunts are a performance. Just like an acting scene, a good stunt requires you to be present, specific, committed, reactive, and confident. The best stunt performers are the ones who sell their stunts with not just their whole bodies, but their whole beings.
So yes, these days, I am a stunt performer. I’ve only been in Los Angeles for slightly over a year and am definitely still considered “green” in the stunt industry. I spend most of my days training, hustling (a term to describe how you network with stunt coordinators), and getting the occasional few days on set, for which I am incredibly grateful. I’ve made incredible friends and mentors and have already learned so much about the industry. Now, my goal is to not only be the best stunt performer I can be but to discover what I as an individual can bring to the craft of stunts, acting, and storytelling as a whole.
Has it been a smooth road?
My road to accepting and developing my identity as a performer has been full of speed bumps, forks, roundabouts, state troopers, and stop lights I wasn’t sure would ever turn green. While performing has always been a constant in my life, it took until my later years of high school to acknowledge the significance of its presence. I was super into my academics growing up, which is obviously not a bad thing, but the pressure by my elders to pursue a career in STEM always put me at odds with myself. When looking at majors for college, my plans began with a major in engineering, then an engineering major with a minor in theatre, then a double major in engineering AND theatre, until I realized that all I really wanted to do was pursue the performing arts.
I’m pretty sure every young performer faces the scrutiny of their peers and elders when it comes to career choice. People have such a narrow scope of what it means to be successful in the entertainment industry, and as such try to shoot down these dreams that seem, understandably, impossible. My parents were less than thrilled when I told them my plans to major in Theatre. The idea of their little girl trying to “make it big” in Hollywood or on Broadway brought images of me living in squalor for the rest of my life. They didn’t think I could do it, and honestly who can blame them? But their doubts are what drove me to work harder. I took acting classes, I got an agent on my own, I’d drive from Tallahassee to Atlanta and back in one day to go to auditions. When I finally booked my first professional role, I worked even harder, and I made sure that anything I put my mind to I would make happen.
As I broke into stunts, I ran into even more people telling me I “wouldn’t make it”. I was too shy, too timid, not strong enough, not thin enough, refusing to schmooze my way up the industrial ladder. One of my most heartbreaking moments was when a boss of mine said I would never be successful in the stunt industry because I didn’t come off as competent.
I think a lot of young women struggle with “owning” themselves, especially in competitive, male-dominated environments. It’s even scarier when you’re up against other women who DO own themselves. “How can I ever compete with that?” I wish I had some straightforward advice for this issue, but quite frankly it’s something I still struggle with. Some days, I’m all aboard the Girl Boss train—wear your lipstick, strut your confidence, and show everyone that you mean business. But other days, I think to myself: “Why can’t I just be me, even if that means being quiet, goofy, and awkward? Why do I have to be some modern-day femme fatale in order for people to take me seriously?” As far as the entertainment industry is concerned, I’ve learned that exuding confidence is essential to getting people to trust you. For shy girls like myself, it might seem like we have to put on a bit of performance even when the camera’s not rolling. It’s exhausting and feels silly, but just like learning to Public Speak or interview well, it is an essential skill to getting industry professionals to believe in the skills that you already know you have. My friend once told me “Put on your war paint.” And it’s a mantra that I now live by to get me through the days when I’d rather hide in the corner than tell a director that “yes I am super stoked to get thrown into this wall ten times today.”
That being said, I hate the idea that someone would ever have to change who they are in order to succeed in their career. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I was given when I first started out was to really take the time to consider my values and morals and stick by them no matter what. If you don’t like to smoke, don’t smoke for a role; if you don’t drink, don’t go to a bar just to make nice with some producer; if you’re goofy, be goofy; if you like bright colors, wear bright colors. At the end of the day, people will respect you for respecting yourself, and as performers, the most important things we have are our identity and individuality.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I think I’ve covered a lot of it already, but once again I am a stunt performer. Stunt work involves all the action you see on television and film, such as high falls, wirework, fire burns, stunt driving, and firearms. I specialize in screen fighting—the work that goes on when you see your favorite characters duking it out with fists, melee weapons, and found objects. Anytime you see a character turn around so the back of their head is facing camera, and they suddenly get really good at fighting, that is thanks to a screen fighter.
Because there are so many avenues of stunt work, I take a lot of pride in specializing in fights. Screen fighting requires more performance than many other types of stunt work because it is rarely just a one-and-done move—like a script, our action tells a story. As screen fighters, it is our job to carry that story through our movements. It’s not just about the fact that you’re throwing a punch and getting hit to the ground; it’s why you’re throwing that punch, who you’re hitting, how you missed, and what it means if you lose. For this reason, I think my background in acting really helps me as a screen fighter. I try to approach my fights the same way I’d approach an acting scene. With every fight comes a new style, a new genre, a new motivation, and a new message. On a professional set we don’t always have the luxury to invest in the how’s and why’s of a fight (much of the job includes “professional gooning”), but when the time comes to double the lead actor for the epic showdown at the end of a movie, having the ability to carry the character’s intention with just your silhouetted movements is an invaluable skill.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I think now more than ever is a time for women to step up and take opportunities that society did not always think we were suited to handle, particularly leadership positions. Just as I believe a young performer should embrace their quirks as strengths, I think women should embrace what makes them unique from men. As women, our compassion and nurturing make us great at compromise and negotiating in meetings; our softness gives us a natural fluidity in screen fighting; our ability to embrace our emotions makes us great performers. No matter what the job, “feminine” skills are essential to having a balanced workplace. For the longest time, people have equated “professional” with cold, relentless, and masculine. But now, we have the chance to show that being kind, gentle, and feminine should be taken just as seriously. Instead of using the uprise of Strong Women to try to be more like men, we should show the world that what makes us women is also what makes us strong.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.caitlinhutson.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @caitlinhutson
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCerlQxaI0tUR1YMRdElcOYw?view_as=subscriber
Image Credit:
Emily Sandifer, Geri Ingal, Omar Zaki, Joseph Le, Jeneffer Acuna, Benjamin Liu
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