Alyma Dorsey is a stunt performer, action actress, host and former Professional Beach Volleyball player, model, celebrity personal trainer, opera singer and Junior Olympian. She has appeared in some of the latest blockbuster hits such as Jumanji: The Next Level, Joker and Captain Marvel as a Skrull.
She has also worked on numerous other films and TV shows such as Star Trek: Picard, Lovecraft Country, AHS 1984, NCIS: New Orleans, The Purge 2 and 4, Orange is the New Black, Pose, Baywatch, Ghostbusters and First Match just to name a few.
Alyma has stunt doubled 42 different actresses at this point in her career including Lavern Cox, Ilfanesh Hadera, Leslie Jones, Ella Balinska, Elektra, KD Aubert, Felicia Terrell, Michelle Hurd and Yvonne Senet Jones.
In 2019 Alyma received a SAG Award Nomination for Best Stunt Ensemble for her work in Joker and Captain America - Civil War (2015). In 2017 Alyma received a Dynamic Duo nomination from Action Icon Awards for her work with Leslie Jones on Ghostbusters. She was also awarded the Urban Action Showcase Swerves and Curves Stunt Driving and Riding award in 2017 and the Angels of Action Award in 2015.
Alyma was recently featured in Vanity Fair (online) as a Hollywood Stuntwoman breaking down Action in Films and in the documentary, Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story. She was also featured in an ESPN.com article called, "What it takes to be a ‘Ghostbusters’ Stuntwoman."
Alyma continuously trains in Brazilian Jujitsu, Taekwondo, Samba, Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Capoeira, Eskrima, Karate, Cars, Motorcycles, Dirt Bikes, Boats, High Falls, Tactical Training, Wires and Horses (english and western).
Alyma's most recent love as a Stunt Performer began in 2012 when one of her closest clients, and now friend, Quentin Tarantino, asked her to move to Louisiana while he filmed Django. While watching one of the best directors in the world work, Alyma approached Quentin and expressed that she felt she could be a stunt woman.
Quentin quickly agreed. Alyma was then introduced to the stunt coordinator, Jeff Dashnaw and easily made friends with the stunt team. Little did she know that she was training, becoming friends, and being mentored by some of the most talented performers in the stunt industry.
Alyma fell in love with stunts and was so inspired by Quentin and all of the stunt performers that she decided to pursue it full time. She has been a working stunt performer ever since.
What is your greatest skill as a stunt performer, is there a story behind it?
My greatest skill as a stunt performer has been my ability to evolve, learn quickly and develop a dynamic skill set in a short amount of time.
I hit the ground running when I came into the industry and needed to be able to perform right away. Therefore, in order for me to be successful, I had to learn how to do EVERYTHING, do it well and learn it fast. I had an extremely smooth transition form my professional athletic and modeling career to becoming a successful stunt woman because of my extreme discipline, over the top passion and aggressive work ethic.
I am always increasing and developing my skill set so that I not only continuously grow and work in the industry but also have the knowledge to do a little bit of everything when called upon as well as keeping everyone around me safe.
What is the best part about being a stunt performer?
The best part about being a stunt performer is my everyday training and different experiences. My training has become my lifestyle and my life has become one big playground.
It gives me the opportunity of being anything I want to be at that time and doing everything my heart desires. What I experience on a daily basis is normally what most hope to get to on their bucket list... The filming and working aspect really just pays for my passion and zest for life that I am able to tap into everyday
What advice would you give other stunt people.
The advice I would give to other stunt performers is: train like your life depends on it - because it does, literally.
Continue to grow and evolve every chance you get.
Tell your all-time favorite stunt story!
One day I get a call from a coordinator.
Coordinator: “Alyma do you know how to drive a boat?"
Me: “No sir, I don’t.”
Coordinator: “You are hired, I just need for you to get in a boat and get familiar with one before I fly you. I will have someone teach you how to really drive and do your stunts over the weekend and then you will shoot the next 2 weeks."
Me: “Ok sir, sounds awesome.”
Coordinator (when I get there): “Oh and by the way, you will be doing a near miss in the boat with the actor in the water. All the main actors including the director will be on your boat at one time, and the director will be filming you from behind (in your bathing suit) with the safety stunt men.
You will need to learn a 180 and a 360 in the boat. There will be another boat on fire and you are going to put the fire out by doing 360’s and using your wake to extinguish the fire of the other boat. You will also need to learn how to get the boat to come to a complete stop and stay in one place with out putting down the anchor… and by the way, boats don’t have breaks.
One last thing, there will be propane lines and safety divers under your boat so please try to not to blow us all up. Oh yeah, the director, might add one more thing if we have time.
Also, we need you to dye your hair black (my hair is light brown with blond highlights) and put a treatment in your real hair so it matches the texture of your actress because the Hair Department does not want to wig you…
In my head, all I heard was… "you are filming me in my bathing suit" and wait... "did you say that I have to die my hair?!"
And that was the beginning of my journey to working on Baywatch where I doubled Ilfanesh Hadera driving Rescue 1.
Stunts Unlimited: https://directory.stuntsunlimited.com/profile/alyma-dorsey/
Stunt Players Directory: https://www.stuntplayers.com/player/alyma-dorsey/