A review of Salt calls attention to it, and Hollywood Life made the very same observation at the Salt premiere in L.A. earlier this week (just ignore the recommended “toning” exercises—weak!). Moreover, both are right. We don’t generally see spindly action heroes, with good reason. And those rules do not change, nor should they, for action heroines.  Read More →

I guess we’ll know tomorrow after Angelina Jolie’s Salt opens in theaters. But then, you’ve probably heard about Salt already, for the film and its star have not been without plenty of press lately—some of it better called hype . Not to begrudge Jolie her rightful due, but a company of women— Weaver , Hamilton , Goldstein , Yeoh , et al.—paved the way for today’s female action stars, and Jolie is as much a beneficiary... 

The other day, I brought Covert Affairs to your notice (only shortly after having learned of it myself). Today’s post serves as a brief follow-up and a reminder that Covert Affairs continues tonight . My first impressions of Covert Affairs , now having watched the premiere myself, are good overall. I like this new heroine Annie Walker. She is sharp, gutsy, strong, athletic—everything you expect from an action heroine. And Piper Perabo ,... 

So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 1 I’m guessing that some of you, maybe even most of you, don’t know that Adam had a wife before Eve. Her name is Lilith . Unlike Eve, though, Lilith was created the same time Adam was, and in the same fashion. Except there was a problem; matchmaking can be a dicey business, even for a god. Lilith refused to give up equal... 

If like me you missed its premiere Tuesday night, you might want to set your DVR to record Covert Affairs on USA Network (episodes should re-air throughout the week, and you can also watch online ). The new action series, which stars Piper Perabo , evidently got off to a strong start , and is getting at least some positive press . To be honest, when I first saw the trailer, I immediately thought of Alias —apparently, I wasn’t alone . Television... 

I never thought I’d be saying this, but apparently it is fashion week at the Athletic Women Blog (not by choice or plan, mind you). Today’s post is the result of DC Comics’ announcement this week that it is giving Wonder Woman a makeover (see right). Reaction to this news, much of it negative , isn’t hard to find, naturally. But the timing and the nature of the makeover have also led some to speculate about what might... 

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn , perhaps best known for Bronson (which, alas, I haven’t seen), wants to make Wonder Woman and isn’t shy about saying so. And after reading his Movieline interview, I’m inclined to think that he might be the person for the job. He obviously has a passion for it, no small plus. Moreover, his take on how to approach the movie is different, fascinating—and most important, respectful of the character... 

I don’t know how you feel about a 5′2″ Wonder Woman, but Jennifer Love Hewitt , through her publicized entreaty , does lend credence to reporting of late: “I’m fighting so hard. I think Warner Bros. is getting ready to make Wonder Woman and I really want to play Wonder Woman.” Thus we may conclude that something is indeed afoot. The next (and hopefully final)…  Read More →

Doomsday didn’t win any Oscars—the Academy can stoop only so low—though it did give us a delightful, indelible action heroine: Major Eden Sinclair . But for the most part the credit for Sinclair’s convincing aura of strength and grittiness goes to Rhona Mitra . It was her performance in Doomsday that conjured the sturdiest action heroine we’ve seen in recent memory. So what is Mitra up to now? It seems we’ll find out... 

If the reporting is legitimate, this news is the best I’ve seen in some time. The magic that was Sydney Bristow isn’t likely to be repeated anytime soon, but Jennifer Garner has action-star bona fides; we know she can do a formidable superheroine.  Read More →

During high school and college, gymnastics, soccer, and diving were the outlets for her athleticism. Now, those have been replaced by stunt work and free running . See if you think Luci “Steel” Romberg is incredible (I bet you do):  Read More →

Athletic and statuesque, Cameron Diaz looks right at home in action roles (not many A-list stars do). Diaz returns to her element on June 25, in Knight and Day . And from the look of things, this might be a film worth the costly trip to the theater. During stunt rehearsals for Knight and Day , Diaz seems to have given her male co-star, Tom Cruise , a new appreciation for the ominous power an athletic woman wields: Knight and Day  Read More →

Was Scarlett Johansson able to transform herself into a convincing superheroine ? Did her hard work, though lamented , pay off? We’ll soon know, Iron Man 2 hits theaters Friday:  Read More →

As a whole, Xena had the strongest female cast of any action series, or film, ever. Xena , throughout its run, consistently staged a universe dominated by strong female characters always portrayed ably by athletic women. The writing may have ebbed at times, but the cast never did that I could tell. This goes for not only Lucy Lawless and Renée O’Connor but also the supporting cast (indeed, especially even): Tsianina Joelson , Hudson  Read More →

Hollywood abounds with talented athletic women nowadays. So many, in fact, that there isn’t excuse for our not finding an action heroine on television every night; a superheroine in movie theaters every month. Allison Caetano , a former nationally ranked gymnast turned to acting and stunt work, for instance. What follows is Allison’s action reel. If ever it does anywhere the time-honored warning certainly applies here—don’t try...