Olympic Kayaker Becomes Charlize Theron's Stunt Double

When Hollywood needed someone to teach Charlize Theron how to escape a serial killer by kayak, they called an Olympic medalist.

Luuka Jones-Yaxley, New Zealand's first Olympic canoe slalom medalist, received an unexpected text from a friend about a "cool opportunity." That opportunity turned out to be coaching and stunt doubling for one of Hollywood's biggest action stars in the Netflix thriller Apex, which premiered in April.

"When he actually told me about it, it was quite unbelievable," the 37-year-old from Tauranga told Olympics.com. "It seemed really far-fetched."

But the Rio 2016 silver medalist soon found herself on a remote South Island film set, teaching Theron the basics of whitewater kayaking. The challenge was significant since the Oscar-winning actress had never kayaked before, and the sport requires incredible skill even in calm water.

"She wanted to get the shots right," Jones-Yaxley explained. "She was a perfectionist."

Theron asked the kayaker what brought her joy on the water, trying to capture that authentic feeling for the camera. Jones-Yaxley described the flow state of moving with whitewater as "a bit of a dance," which resonated with Theron's dancing background.

The filmmaking process required Jones-Yaxley to unlearn everything that made her an elite athlete. In competition, effortless paddling is the goal, but that doesn't look dramatic enough for a thriller.

"You looked at the features differently," she said. "Instead of trying to avoid them or go around them, you were going right through them."

The crew filmed at locations across New Zealand and Australia, including Sydney's Penrith Whitewater Stadium, which hosted the 2000 Olympics. Sometimes Jones-Yaxley would accidentally roll over because of the intentionally aggressive paddling style the director wanted.

Why This Inspires

Jones-Yaxley's journey shows how athletic excellence translates beyond the podium. Her two decades of whitewater experience made her uniquely qualified to help bring authentic action to the screen while keeping Theron safe.

Despite the star-studded environment, Jones-Yaxley found Theron "really down to Earth" and praised her as "a cool ambassador for the sport." The production pressure, while real, never matched what she feels at the Olympics.

"I hadn't spent the last four years of my life training towards small moments," she explained about the difference between filming and competing.

The five-time Olympian, who placed fifth in kayak cross and eighth in kayak single at Paris 2024, hasn't committed to retirement yet. But she doesn't expect her film career to take off either, viewing the Apex experience as a unique adventure rather than a career change.

From Olympic podiums to movie sets, Jones-Yaxley continues proving that champions shine wherever the current takes them.