WENDY VRIJENHOEK

 

Wendy Vrijenhoek who was born on 25 March 1986 in Rotterdam in South Holland in the Netherlands did the stunts for the films 'Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo' and 'Kidnapping Mr. Heineken'. Wendy was stunt double in the mini-series 'The White Queen'. She was stunt double in some episodes of the TV series "Covert Affairs", while she did stunts on episodes of the TV series "The Missing". Wendy could be admired in 2014 in the video clip "ta fête" by Stromae. She also did the stunts for TV commercials like MTV Future Fighters, Ziggo, UPC, BNP Paribas, BNP Paribas Fortis and Peking Express. Perry from Moov.nl went into a conversation with the very friendly and cheerful Wendy Vrijenhoek because of an interview for the internet site.

 

001.What is your favorite CD?

       I have several CDs that I like to listen to. It depends on what I want to do on that moment. Music by Coldplay, Amos Lee or Ed Sheeran. But a real

       favorite CD I do not have.

002.What is your favorite song?

       My favorite number of all times is "Free Fallin" by John Mayer. But I also like to listen very much to the songs "Yellow" by Coldplay and "Keep It

       Loose, Keep It Tight" by Amos Lee.

003.Do you ever listen to music just before filming?

       In the car on the way to the set I like to have music on. Also a bit to come in the mood already. Once on the set, I no longer listen to music. Then I

       concentrate me on what is coming and I will close myself off from the rest.

004.How important is music in your life?

       Music is very important in my life. I would not be able to do a holiday without it. But I sometimes also like silence because of my hectic life.

005.Who is your favorite singer (man or woman) or group?

       My favorite singers are Alain Clark, Craig David and Ed Sheeran. I like too listen to the American rock band Kings of Leon.

006.With who would you like to sing a duet someday?

       If I had to choose, I would like to sing a duet with John Mayer. Although I have to say that I myself can not sing at all, haha.

007.What is your favorite sport? And do you also practice a sport yourself?

       I do acrobatics, running, yoga and the Japanese martial art Ninjutsu myself. I like to watch football when I have time.

008.At what time or project in your career are you up to now most proud and/or do you keep the best memories?

       I am proud at different moments and have a lot of good memories on different stunts. On the BNP Paribas - Commercial from 2014 and BNP Paribas

       Fortis - Commercial from 2017 I am proud because there are a lot of stunts in it that I can play myself. But in terms of stunts, the jump from a

       helicopter that I did for a TV series certainly was a highlight.

009.You are married, have a child and have a very risky job as a stunt woman. Have you ever thought about when/at what age you want to quit

       stunt work and what you want to do next?

       In terms of age, I have no year in mind to stop. I do not think you just stop doing that. I now want to combine the stunt work and acting together. I live

       by the day. My husband Tom and I do not talk about my work that often. He looks at it different than I am. That's how he likes it when I show him films

       in which he sees how I practice and where safety can be seen. But he is happy when I am happy. And that is me as a stunt woman. My daughter

       Elina is 3 years old. So she is still too young for herself with what she wants to become later. I do not know what I would think of them as she  later

       also wants to become a stunt woman. I do think it is important that she has to make her own choice in which will feel her happy. My parents find my

       work as stunt woman a bit scary. And especially my mother. That's why I tell them my work censored.

010.Are there any prizes in the stunt world to express appreciation to each other?

       As far as I know there are, to my knowledge, no prizes to win for stuntmen and stunt women. I have the idea that people do not realize how hard

       stuntmen and stunt women work. But appreciation in the form of, for example, an Oscar or any other price a I do not need myself. For me it is more

       important that the director of the project and the stunt coordinator who is then involved, are satisfied with my work. When these two are not in line, for

       example the stunt coordinator is satisfied with me and the director is not, then I think the opinion of the stunt coordinator is more important for me.

011.What can we expect from you in the future in showbizz?

       For the mini series 'Les Misérables' that has to be released in 2018 I do the stunts. In 2019 I have a small role in the second season of the TV series

       "Killing Eve". I am also stunt double in the new TV series "Baptiste". This is a spin-off from the TV series "The Missing".

 

Look for Wendy Vrijenhoek’s showreel on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Z8lUTp1Jk.

Look for the video clip "ta fête" by Stromae on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublchJYzhao.

 

Interview: Perry Krootjes