Meet Bella’s Stuntwoman

(Pictured above: Crystal Dalman jumps off a motorcycle during the shooting of “The Last Rites of Ransom Pride” in Calgary last year.)

Crashing motorcycles, jumping from incredible heights, and surviving the super-strength of the magical beings she encounters everyday – so how does Bella do it? Two words: Crystal Dalman, the incredible force behind many of Kristen Stewart’s stunts in the newest movie edition of the Twilight Saga: New Moon.

When I first met the stuntwoman in a cozy coffee shop in northwest Calgary, I was surprised by her small frame. However, her petite stature is exactly what landed her the job of Kristen Stewart’s double since the two are very similar in size.

Working on New Moon was an incredibly rewarding experience for Crystal. She remembers a particular scene: “I’ve always loved riding motorcycles and doing motorcycle stuff, but the sequence with Bella pushed me to a certain limit that I don’t get to get pushed to a lot of times.”

Crystal and her stunt-coordinator rehearsed for the motorcycle stunt extensively – one day for six hours straight. In order to build up Crystal’s technique for the stunt, she practiced by crashing into a pile of cardboard boxes. However, those boxes were taken away on filming day, heightening the risk of the stunt. Was she scared? “I was scared, I was very nervous. There’s a sense of adrenaline in your body. And sometimes you’re even like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ You know it’s gonna hurt, but I guess that’s the difference between stunt people – we’re a different breed of people. We crave the adrenaline.”

Crystal’s exciting life and thriving career are definitely keeping her adrenaline going – her two phones were constantly buzzing throughout the interview. Though the life of a stunt double can seem complex, Crystal accurately sums up the life of a stunt person in a simple sentence, “We love life, but we push our limits.”