Deadly Beauty: Horror’s Scream Queens and Rising Talent: Jasi Cotton Lanier
“Jasi Lanier took an unconventional route into the stunt industry. After graduating from University of South Carolina in Media Arts, she modeled, acted in horror movies and performed as a fire-eater to pay off her student loans. After shooting a movie in New Jersey, she fell in love with her co-star Joseph Anthony and decided to movie up north to study Meisner Technique with Glen Vincent and ShotoKan Karate. She continued to study acting in NYC with Olinda Turturro and Enzo Carolina performing in many indie films, including The Resurrection Game, Nikos, B-Movie, and Fifth City.
Through a chance meeting at Pittsburgh Comicon she met artists Dave Nestler and Dorian Cleavenger. She approached them to do an interview for a magazine. After the interviews, they both asked her to pose for them. That meeting led to the beginning of her career as an art model for comics, fantasy, pinup art, and romance novels. She was most notably Joe Jusko’s “Tomb Raider” model for Top Cow comics for several years and featured on the cover of Heavy Metal Magazine and Heavy Metal Calendars in 2005/2006. She has modeled for over 300 paintings thus far.
Though she loved modeling and acting in B- horror movies, Jasi felt something was missing. Upon closer examination she came to realize that her true passion was to become a stuntwomen. Inspired by her Uncle Dusty who performed in live stunt shows in the 60s/70s and several articles about stuntwomen in the magazine “Femme Fatales”, Jasi set out to become a stuntwoman.
She worked a few years dabbling in stunts in independent movies and industrials. In June of 2005, with the blessing of her family and friends made the big move to Los Angeles.
At first she was overwhelmed by the city, but quickly embraced all that the city had to offer. She did background work and got her SAG card being featured on “2 1/2 Men”. Jasi then joined a stunt service and started training at famed Bob Yerkes backyard in the art of high falls, fights, swords and reactions.
She got her first opportunity there by Stuntman/ Stunt Coordinator John Moio who saw her sword fighting. He recommended her for a job on the show “iCarly”, doubling a 14-year boy for stunt coordinator Vince Deadrick Jr. She had all weekend to practice sword-fighting left-handed for an audition on Monday. With the help of her friend, and stuntman, Mario Perez, she trained all weekend, day and night, for her audition. On Monday, she showed up and she booked the job on the “iFence” episode of iCarly doubling actor Nathan Kress She continues to work on iCarly now doubling actress Jennette McCurdy for the past 3 years. Jasi continued to train and booked a few jobs while also supplementing her income as a set decorator. In 2010, she decided to commit to stunts fulltime and it paid off. Jasi has worked on shows such as “Alice in Wonderland”, “Castle”, “Raising Hope”, “Vampire Dairies”, and “Law and Order: LA”.
While continuing to work in stunts, Jasi is making a resurgence to acting appearing recently in the short film “Broken” and being featured on all female “Jack Ass“ style stunt show called Cherry Bombs affectionately known as “Firecracker”. This fall, she will again be modeling for artists such as Mike James, Greg Hildebrandt, Guy Powers, Age and Lorenzo Sperlonga.
Her love for stunts has driven her to serve her community. She has volunteered and served as a department head for Stuntacular, a live Halloween stunt show that is a fundraiser for Make a Wish. Jasi is currently serving as an assistant board member for Diamond in the Raw/ Stuntwomen’s Awards and secretary for the Stuntwomen’s Foundation.She continues to train Kung fu, weapons, swords, acrobatics, boxing, and stunts. Jasi enjoys roller-skating, tai chi, hula hooping, rock climbing, rappelling, and hiking in her free time.”*
Location: Los Angeles
1. How did you get into the industry?
I got into industry while going to college and doing a paper on B horror films , director Paul Talbot asked me to be in Freakshow and things happened from there.
2. What Scream Queen inspired you most?
I love a few Scream Queens of course Debbie Rochon because she is just such a solid actress. Also Danielle Harris who I had the pleasure to double twice , she is killing it and Shawnee Smith who is able to do horror movies and be a mainstream actress.
3. What are the next couple projects you are working on?
I am still stunt doubling on Sam and Cat for Nickeldeon, going to be working on Fast and Furious 7 and will be stunt coordinating and acting in Scifi movie Adam 8 in 2014.
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*Bio courtesy of Jasi Cotton Lanier’s Official Website
