Bond Girl

As the lead female stunt double in the most recent James Bond movie, “Spectre,” Samarra got to show off her full range of athletic skills. “I never knew stunt work was a career. I just thought people did it for fun! But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Elevating Her Game

“If I’m bored, I try to develop a new skill. Right now I’m working on getting my helicopter license. Learning new things helps keep me focused.”

Horsing Around

Samarra has been riding horses since she was four years old (“It was a birthday party that neverended!), and has competed internationally in show jumping and eventing (a combination of dressage, cross-countryand show jumping). She also was a top synchronized swimmer in the United Kingdom. “I’ve had a strong competition background and I like to always be at the top of my game.”

Diet Right

“I try to live by the idea that if you can’t face how your food gets to your plate, then you shouldn’t be eating it,” says Samarra. “When I can, I hunt my own game. But since hunting in LA is a little more difficult, I mostly follow a vegetarian diet with some wild-caught fish for protein.”

Dream Role

“I’d like to secure a lead where I get to be me. It would be nice to play a character that is relevant to my life—I feel with my unique lifestyle I could bring a lot to the part!”

Family Ties

Both of Samarras’s parents worked in the circus in Spain, her mother as a dancer, and trapeze artist and her father as a performer, stage-hand and lighting technician. “I had a wild childhood—I’ve always had the extreme sports’ side to me.” She remains very close to her family. “I know my family well and can trust them.

Downtime

“When I’m not working out, modeling, or doing stunts, I generally like to draw or design. I’m also writing and producing a documentary on animal rights.”

Training for Life

“I’ve never followed anyone else’s training—I’ve always gone by what works best for me. If I have to get lean, I’ll do a lot of swimming, and if I have to get strong for a part I’ll do more climbing and action sports. I train every single day without fail. It’s never a chore and it’s not something I feel I have to do—it’s just my way of living.”

One of the Guys

All my fight training has been against guys,” says Samarra. For “Spectre,” she trained with [former WWE star and actor] Dave Bautista, who taught her Philippine knife fighting on set. “I’m 5’8 and he’s a huge wrestler, but I thought ‘once you can train against that, you can train against anyone!”