Some would say that Jwaundace Candece is one in a million. You might not recognize her face just yet, but you definitely won’t miss that body.

Union stuntwoman, professional wrestler and accomplished actor, Candece can fight ‘til the finish and crash a moving car without batting an eyelash.

 

The triple-threat performer has been in a few great flicks, both as a stunt double for actresses like Queen Latifah (Scary Movie 3, Bringing Down The House, Taxi, Last Holiday) and Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), and is building a resumé as an actress in her own right.

 

We recently spoke with the strong-willed performer about her amazing - and safe to say “kick ass” - career.  

 

AllHipHop.com: What’s your secret to staying to fit?

 

Jwaundace Candece: Meditation and Yoga - and don’t forget, discipline. I’m always been sort of a daredevil, but I hated to go to the gym. What I really do is take care of myself, keep my muscles warm and get my rest; that’s key.

 

AllHipHop.com: What does a stunt woman do when she’s not doing stunts on a movie?

 

Jwaundace: I get up most days and go to Yoga class. I love to do girlie things like get pedicures and wear cute dresses. I do most things that are opposite from the rough and rugged world of stunts.

 

AllHipHop.com: I was just watching Quentin Tarantino’s Planet Terror and I loved how the ladies, especially the brown skinned ladies, got to kick some ass. Are there more scripts out there for like Planet Terror?

 

Jwaundace: If you think it’s hard for Black actress in Hollywood to get work, it’s even harder for Black stunt women in Hollywood trying to catch a break. Planet Terror was one in a million.

 

AllHipHop.com: How did you start in front of the camera?

 

Jwaundace: Funny enough, I went out for music videos. Everybody has to serve their time in this business, everybody. No one is exempt from that; being an extra or not making any money, shaking your butt.

 

AllHipHop.com: So, you went from videos to wrestling. How did that happen?

 

Jwaundace: Let’s be clear, I wasn’t a fan of wrestling. I thought it was fake, just like everybody else. One of my cousins was really into it, and I started watching it with him. I only considered wrestling because I needed the money. It was a paycheck at first. I was a struggling actress.

 

AllHipHop.com: Did you ever experience racism or sexism while wrestling?

 

Jwaundace: Because I was a part of a woman’s tag team group, we didn’t have the sexism issue. The Rock was huge back then, and his popularity with the crowd allowed the Women of Wrestling to get some love. Because I’m a Black woman and my tag team [Caged Heat] were two other Black women, we stood out and that made the crowd love us even more.

 

AllHipHop.com: What was it that you loved about wrestling, other than the good money, of course?

 

Jwaundace: Wrestling really allowed me to exercise my athleticism. [Caged Heat] had a lot of fun back then. My partners, Loca and Vendetta were my girls. I miss them.

WATCH JWAUNDACE AND CAGED HEAT IN ACTION

 

AllHipHop.com: Then you smoothly transitioned into doing stunts… Where did you find the time?

 

Jwaundace: I’d gotten a call from my agent, who wanted me to talk to the stunt coordinator for Queen Latifah’s movie Bringing Down the House. I wasn’t thinking about the job, I was just thinking about meeting Queen Latifah. I had no idea what stunt people did.

 

I was so ignorant. I was thinking to myself, “If she did Set It Off, why can’t she do a few stunts in this movie?” So to be honest, I went out for the gig because of her. I’m a big fan of the Queen.

 

AllHipHop.com: So your first gig as a stunt woman was for Queen Latifah? That’s huge.

 

Jwaundace: After doing Bringing Down The House, Latifah told me I was on board for her next movie. We ended up working on [Scary Movie] 3, Taxi and Last Holiday.

 

AllHipHop.com: Do you have one great Latifah story after working with her on four projects now?

 

Jwaundace: There are a lot of stories about working with Queen Latifah that I can’t tell. Let’s just say that I’ve been honored to work with her. I’ve been out of the country to places I would have never gone working with her.

 

AllHipHop.com: In Hollywood, she’s considered a full-figured woman. Is that your niche, being a stunt for full-figured actresses?

 

Jwaundace: You know what, let me see, I’ve worked with Kym Whitley, with Jennifer Hudson and with Mo’Nique twice. The last movie that I did with Mo’Nique was Push, directed by Lee Daniels. It’s coming out this summer. I try to get jobs everywhere; staying fresh and hot. We just finished a Volkswagon commercial.

 

The best thing about going out for acting parts versus stunts is that they are hired by two different people on the crew. The casting director hires actors, and the stunt coordinator hires the stunt people. Plus, it helps that I have an agent for both. I love doing commercials.

 

AllHipHop.com: If you were to talk to Black girls who wanted to know about getting into this business, what would you advise them to do?

 

Jwaundace: I’d say, stay fit; develop your physical craft just like you develop any craft. I’d say, practice your craft daily and put your work on camera. Send out tapes of your stunts and your strength, and visit stuntsplayers.com to find all the best stunt coordinators.

 

AllHipHop.com: Who was your inspiration?

 

Jwaundace: Pam Grier, mainly. After watching her in movies like Foxy Brown, Coffey and Sheba Baby, I thought she was so pretty and sexy, yet knew how to kick butt. I think every little Black girl wants it all - to be fly and strong at the same time.

CHECK OUT THE JWAUNDACE CANDECE STUNT REEL