“Hopefully, people will see that we are not people to look over.”
Keisha Tucker is a member of one of Hollywood’s most superlative, small, but growing, community of performers — Black stuntwomen. Historically overlooked, discounted, and (painstakingly) undervalued, Black female stunt performers have spent decades fighting for the opportunities and recognition that their white male counterparts naturally receive.
Behind some of the industry’s most exciting action sequences, Black stuntwomen are slowly starting to receive the recognition and opportunities that they deserve.
Tucker is both an actress and a stuntwoman with over a decade of experience. However, it is her work as a stuntwoman that takes up the majority space of her resume. Her credentials as a stuntwoman include How to Get Away with Murder, Black Panther, Ant Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Us, American Horror Story, 911, 911: Lone Star, Snowfall, Without Remorse, and the anticipated, Don’t Worry Darling.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Tucker while she filmed an upcoming project in Rome. We discussed her career, her roots, and her aspirations for the future. A hint: it is only the beginning.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Ashley Willis: How was it growing up in Randolph — a smaller, diverse community? Did you feel a sense of belonging because you were in a community of others who looked like you?
Keisha Tucker: I felt very lucky to grow up in such a diverse community. There were so many different races and I really feel the benefits of growing up around that now. It was also close to Boston so you still get a sense of the big city. My Mom would take me there; sometimes, we’d go to Faneuil Hall.
AW: What did growing up in Randolph teach you about yourself?
KT: It teaches you that you are just one small person in a big city, but it also taught me that I have so much more to learn. [It] made me feel I have so much more to see and so much more to explore. It was just the beginning.
AW: What inspired you to get into acting?
By awillisoffco
