May 8, 2014

Stuntwoman returns to UNL for master class

Jessie Graff
Craig Chandler | University Communications

Craig Chandler | University Communications
Jessie Graff

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film alumna and professional stuntwoman Jessie Graff will return to UNL on May 9 for a master class.

The master class is 1 to 4 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, located on the first floor of the Temple Building. The master class is free and open to the public.

Graff is the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts’ recipient of the Nebraska Alumni Association’s Early Achiever Award, which acknowledges outstanding young graduates.

Graff, who graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in theatre in 2007, is a stuntwoman in Los Angeles. She has done stunts or performed as a stunt double on such TV shows as “Leverage,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Castle,” “Modern Family,” “Criminal Minds” and “Southland.”

Her film credits include “Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon,” “X-Men: First Class,” “Bridesmaids” and “Live Free or Die Hard.”

She was part of a group of stunt actors to receive a 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” And in 2013, she was featured on CBS News during its Eye Opening Extremes Week.

Her “Epic Chick Fight” video, which is a live-action parody of the chicken fight from the TV series “Family Guy,” has more than one million views on YouTube.

Graff competed in pole vaulting for the Huskers track and field team while at UNL and learned stunts in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film.

“I’m absolutely in love with the career of stunts,” Graff said. “It’s just everything I’ve always wanted to do and done for fun in my free time just combined into one job.”