What Fans Want In Female Action Stars

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC

If anyone here is interested in making a movie, series, or short with a female action hero, please go to the CWTV web site and look up the CW Lounge discussion of Nikita, an apparent re-image of the movie and TV series Le Femme Nikita.

I'm not sure if I cam post links to the thread. So, I'kk only talk about it here.

The fans are upset that a little 90 pound girl will be beating up guys twice her size and weight.

Fans loved the original Le Femme Nikita that lasted 5 seasons. Peta Wilson is a pretty tall actress and nearly as tall as any male opponent she fought in the series. And, because she is relatively as tall as the men and athletic, her beating up the bad guys is WAY more believable.

Covert Affairs on the USA Network is making the same mistake as the new Nikita casting a 5 foot shrimp for an action role for a CIA secret agent.

Fans will find your production more believable if you cast actresses at least as tall as models or Amazons for action lead roles. Keep that in minds.
 
I'm not sure what works best, but I think a talented actress can kick ass at any height.

Carrie Fisher 5’1
Sara Michelle Gellar 5’2
Eliza Dushku 5’4
Linda Hamilton 5’5
Jessica Alba 5’6
Charisma Carpenter 5’7
Halle Barry 5’7
Angelina Jolie 5’8
Lynda Carter 5’9
Lucy Lawless 5’10
Sigorney Weaver. 5’11
Uma Thurman 6’0

(Actual heights subject to misinformed internet BS.)

-Thanks-
 
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From the above list, the one that sticks out, in my opinion, is Sigourney Weaver (though a couple of your others are worth mentioning). Her height has nothing to do with it. It's because she's a good actress.
 
You forgot

Jennifer Garner 5'8 she was in Alias.

Acting number one skill and second ability to look like they know how to fight on camera. Of course looking pretty is a given.
 
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I think height is irrelevant, that's simply the matters of die hard fans wanting what they know. A talented actress can pull it off. As for realism, I've seen guys with "Small man syndrome" pound taller guys--who would initially be considered the favorite-- to the canvas.
 
Height has nothing to do with it in regards to a female action star. It has more to do with the skill, intelligence, and resourcefulness of the character. I think you're confusing the demographics of peeps looking for eye candy with those hoping for a fulfilling story with unique characterization....and I'm NOT saying you can't have both.
 
Speaking as someone who writes (and hopefully publishes!) a story about a fighting female character-I've also become a bit of connaseur (sp) of fighting females.

I think what has soured me horribly on certain ones, well Charlie's Angel's (the films) come to mind: Lots of fancy, pretty looking "Kung Fu" (A friend of mine called them "Chick Kicks")that is more pretty than effective.

Even though the film tanked at the Box Office, "Ultraviolet" is how I imagine a female should fight: Devistating, effective, no wasted movement, lethal. Forget the whole "dodging bullets" scene (which I disliked), but the scenes where one move flowed into another when fighting a group of assailants. I also liked Trinity in The Matrix.

I want a "bitch" for a female character (like Ripley. Even Jolie's Croft was good). Sarah Michelle Gellar was good in Buffy, though the show was leaned toward camp anyway.

And I think I'm one of the few people who didn't care for Garner (don't get started on Electra/Daredevil-she played the total anti of what Electra should have been).


I think if you're aiming for a wide film going audience, pretty overstates talent unfortunately (like hearing Megan Fox is rumored to be up for a "Catwoman" role in the next Batman movie? Come on now....)
 
Height isn't really the issue for me - it's physical strength. Sure, in a sport environment where there are rules, skill always beats brute force. But in those situations you are paired against an opponent approximately your same weight. Height is not part of the equation for competition brackets.

Where it gets problematic for me is when someone the size of Summer Glau takes on someone the size of Brock Lesner or Kimbo Slice. Sorry. No. When someone with a fist the size of your head punches you in said head, bad things are happening. Unless you want the audience to believe that the big bad guy has absolutely zero fighting experience, please don't do this. :D

I know folks will probably flame me for that example, but I've almost always found hollywood fight scenes to lack the brutality they deserved. I don't go in for the "pretty" stuff. It's fun to watch crazy kung-fu choreography, but it's not "fighting" the way I see it. :)

Edit: To my knowledge, Carrie Fisher never actually fought anyone - she just used blasters and hung out in a space bikini on the end of a leash. Maybe I missed something that wasn't Star Wars related though.

Double Edit: Which brings an interesting idea for a femme action star who finds ways to defeat opponents without resorting to close range hand to hand conflict.
 
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The guy could dance around Kimbo for a couple rounds, tire him out. I have nothing to say about Lesnar, he's pretty bad ass. Carwin almost had him, shame his stamina was worth jack.
 
lol, Kimbo was never that great of a fighter anyway, just really big and really scary. Lesnar is much better, but the two were just examples for size, not skill. Having said that, Lesnar is crazy fast for a guy his size.

There are ways around the size problem - she could knock over a support beam in an old warehouse and have the roof fall on anyone.

But the second some monster dude lands a solid right cross "on the button" it's freaking over. I don't care who you are. Just don't show the heroine ever taking a shot there (among other key things) and it's good to go on the believability side.
 
I find it interesting that no one even took the time to read the fans posts on their POV of what they want in a female action star as opposed to what a filmmaker wants.

How will you ever know what your market wants? :huh:
 
Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
I find it interesting that no one even took the time to read the fans posts on their POV of what they want in a female action star as opposed to what a filmmaker wants.

How will you ever know what your market wants? :huh:
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think if you're aiming for a wide film going audience, pretty overstates talent unfortunately (like hearing Megan Fox is rumored to be up for a "Catwoman" role in the next Batman movie? Come on now....)
Click to expand...


I unfortunately sums it up in my post-Most viewing people want a latex wearing, pouty lipped female who's more worried about pulling off a sexy fighting pose than actually pounding her opponent. That's what the audience wants. A "realistic" girl fighter who fights according her body size/weight? A tactician who has no wasted movement? Audience doesn't want that. They want the fancy kung fu kick, the pouty lip, the latex outfit, and the catchy catchphrase.
 
Tinalera said:
I unfortunately sums it up in my post-Most viewing people want a latex wearing, pouty lipped female who's more worried about pulling off a sexy fighting pose than actually pounding her opponent. That's what the audience wants. A "realistic" girl fighter who fights according her body size/weight? A tactician who has no wasted movement? Audience doesn't want that. They want the fancy kung fu kick, the pouty lip, the latex outfit, and the catchy catchphrase.
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I know you didn't read the Nikita posts. They are more down to Earth.

Peta Wilson is their hero.
 
Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
I find it interesting that no one even took the time to read the fans posts on their POV of what they want in a female action star as opposed to what a filmmaker wants.

How will you ever know what your market wants? :huh:
Click to expand...

We're not all making action films with female leads, you are. We all gave you our opinion on what we feel constitutes a good female action star. As *viewers* we may be in the minority according to whatever website it is you're quoting from, but there you have it.
 
I like Dark Angel that was a great show. Jessica Alba did really great in that for the first season. Uma Thurman did good in Kill Bill. How about Hit Girl in Kick Ass.
 
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I want me in them! How was that not said before me?

Honestly I want a chick to look like a chick and be able to pull of action scenes thats all. Take Smallville, whenever they have a chick fight it's a real fight for the most part- unless the chicks are written like the girly girl- and they all look like chicks. They may not be super hot but they are not bulked up bitches who look more male than female.
 
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