Muse to Tarantino

Waiheke Island-born stuntwoman Zoe Bell makes a cameo appearance as herself in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming slasher film Grindhouse. Bell impressed Tarantino as Uma Thurman’s double in Kill Bill, and has since joined a list of his muses which includes Thurman, Rose MacGowan and Rosario Dawson. Grindhouse is being billed as the world’s first “meta-movie”: an 80-90 minute feature each by Tarantino and long-time collaborator Robert Rodriguez linked by trailers for fictional movies by Eli Roth (Hostel), Rob Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and Rodriguez (Sin City). “The whole theatrical business is looking for something new, a little showmanship,” says studio head Bob Weinstein of the newly formed Weinstein Company. “These guys took something old and are making it new.” As well as Kill Bill, 28-year-old Bell’s CV includes stunt work on Xena: Warrior Princess, Ultraviolet, Catwoman and The Poseidon Adventure.