All-Women Stunt Team Makes Emmy History

The all-women stunt team from Apple TV's 'Palm Royale' has made Emmy history by being nominated for both Outstanding Stunt Coordination and Outstanding Stunt Performance. The team, led by stunt coordinator Mallory Thompson, was recognized for their work on a catfight sequence in Episode 6, 'Maxine Finds Herself', which lasts for three minutes.

The sequence, which took over four days to shoot and required over 60 setups, was described in the script as a 'Dynasty-style fight'. Thompson, who was familiar with the reference to the iconic catfight between Alexis and Krystle in the 1980s TV series 'Dynasty', was given the freedom to pitch as many crazy ideas as she could think of, all of which were approved by the episode's director Stephanie Laing and showrunner Abe Sylvia.

The stunt performers, Colby Lemmo and Sonja Wajih, who doubled for Kristen Wiig and Claudia Ferri respectively, have also been nominated for Outstanding Stunt Performance. The team's nomination marks the first time an all-women stunt team from the same series has been concurrently nominated in both categories.

## What made it happen Thompson designed the sequence with Wiig and Ferri in mind, knowing that they both wanted to do as much as possible. She shot previs and used that as a map for when she would shoot with the actors and when the stunt doubles would step in. The result was a highly choreographed sequence that took the team over four days to shoot.

## Why it matters The nomination is a significant milestone for women in the stunt industry, who have historically been underrepresented. Thompson and her team's achievement marks a breakthrough for women in stunt coordination and performance, and paves the way for future generations of female stunt professionals.

The 'Palm Royale' team's Emmy nomination is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the all-women stunt team, and a recognition of their contribution to the entertainment industry. As the team awaits the Emmy awards, they can take pride in knowing that they have made history and inspired others to follow in their footsteps.