Kelly Phelan

Who Is Kelly Phelan?

Kelly Phelan is an American stunt coordinator, stunt performer, and stunt double. She is one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and versatile action professionals. She is known for her extensive work in film and television, including high-profile doubling assignments for actresses such as Jennifer Aniston, Kristen Stewart, and Kelly Reilly.

However, one moment above all others defines her career so far. In 2023, Kelly Phelan became the first woman in history to rappel off the Eiffel Tower. She did this as Jennifer Aniston’s stunt double in Netflix’s Murder Mystery 2. The feat earned her recognition worldwide — and placed her firmly among the elite of Hollywood’s stunt community.

Born in Orlando, Florida, Phelan began her career as a competitive gymnast, earning NCAA All-American honors on beam and floor during her time at Louisiana State University, where she also pursued theatre studies. From gymnastics to live Las Vegas shows to Hollywood action sequences — her journey is extraordinary.

She has been married to Simon Potter since September 8, 2018. She is a proud member of Stunts Unlimited — one of Hollywood’s most respected stunt organizations.

Early Life: Orlando Roots and a Passion for Performance

Born to Perform in Orlando, Florida

Kelly Phelan was born in Orlando, Florida. From a very young age, she was drawn to performance. Orlando — home to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and one of the world’s most vibrant entertainment cultures — gave her the perfect environment to grow.

Her very first job reflected this early passion. Her first job was at Disney when she was 16, where she worked as a character performer. That role was her first professional taste of bringing characters to life for audiences.

It would not be her last.

A Gymnast From the Start

Before Hollywood, before Las Vegas, before the Eiffel Tower — there was gymnastics.

She grew up as a gymnast and competed at Louisiana State University, where she also got a minor degree in Theatre. This combination was powerful. Athletics gave her body precision and fearlessness. Theatre gave her the performance instinct that separates great stunt performers from simply skilled ones.

She is a three-time NCAA All-American gymnast, specializing at the elite level. Earning All-American honors three times at the NCAA level is an exceptional achievement. Furthermore, it confirmed that Kelly Phelan was not just talented — she was elite.

Why Stunts Was Always the Perfect Fit

Stunts was the perfect mashup: acting and sports. That is how Phelan herself has described it. She did not stumble into stunt work. She gravitated toward it deliberately — because it united the two great passions of her life.

Training: A Skill Set Like No Other

Before entering film and television, Phelan spent years building one of the most impressive skill sets in the stunt industry. Her abilities include elite-level gymnastics, professional acrobatics, motorcycle riding, taekwondo, boxing, CPR and First Aid certification, water safety, advanced harness and wire work, high falls, high dives up to 80 feet, SCUBA certification, stage combat, skateboarding, roller skating, horseback riding, wakeboarding, snowboarding, and dance styles including hip-hop, ballet, jazz, tap, modern, contemporary, and ballroom.

This is not a résumé. It is a superpower.

From Las Vegas to Los Angeles: The Road to Hollywood

Performing in Las Vegas — Le Rêve: The Dream

After her gymnastics career, Kelly Phelan took her skills to the stage. This athletic foundation led her to professional acrobatics, including performances in Las Vegas shows such as Le Rêve – The Dream at Wynn Las Vegas.

Le Rêve – The Dream is one of Las Vegas’s most celebrated aquatic theatrical productions. It takes place in a 1.1-million-gallon pool at the Wynn Las Vegas. Performing in such a show required exceptional physical ability, breath control, and the courage to perform dangerous sequences night after night.

Additionally, Phelan has performed as a Cirque du Soleil artist. Her professional credits include being a Cirque du Soleil performer and a 2nd Unit Director registered with the DGA. These world-class live performance experiences gave her an edge that no gym or film school alone could provide.

Moving to Los Angeles: Entering the Stunt World

After accumulating years of experience in live productions, Phelan relocated to Los Angeles to transition into on-screen stunt work. This move marked the beginning of her film and television career.

She did not waste a single moment after arriving. She began taking on stunt performer and coordinator roles immediately. Her early credits reflect discipline, consistency, and a fierce commitment to quality.

After getting years of experience in live shows, she moved to LA and began her journey — describing it as a great ride so far and her dream job to be working in film and television.

Television Career: Doubling Hollywood’s Finest

Early Television Roles (2010s)

Kelly Phelan’s television career launched in the 2010s. Her television credits span numerous prominent series, beginning in the 2010s with stunt double roles in shows like Castle (5 episodes), Grimm, Modern Family (2 episodes), and New Girl.

Furthermore, she continued with recurring contributions to The Mindy Project (2 episodes), Scorpion (3 episodes), and 9-1-1 (9 episodes as stunt double and 6 as stunt actor).

These were not small shows. These were network hits with millions of viewers. Being trusted with stunt work on these productions confirmed Phelan’s growing reputation as someone who delivered under pressure — every time.

Jennifer Aniston in The Morning Show (2019–2025)

One of Kelly Phelan’s most significant long-term professional relationships has been with Jennifer Aniston.

She doubled for Jennifer Aniston in The Morning Show across 9 episodes from 2019 to 2025. Apple TV+’s The Morning Show is one of the most-watched drama series in streaming history. Working with Aniston across six years of a hit show requires absolute consistency, physical adaptability, and deep trust between double and actress.

That trust would later take both women to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone (2022–2024)

Yellowstone is one of the biggest drama series in American television history. Phelan doubled for Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone across 7 episodes from 2022 to 2024.

Kelly Reilly’s character Beth Dutton is one of television’s most intense and physically demanding roles. Doubling for her required a specific blend of raw physicality and dramatic precision.

Further Television Credits

She also doubled for various actresses in 12 episodes of 9-1-1 (2018–2024), seven episodes of Outer Range (2022–2024), and six episodes of Station 19 (2018–2024), among many other shows such as Landman, The Perfect Couple, and Doctor Odyssey.

Additionally, Phelan served as stunt coordinator on episodes of A.P. Bio (2018–2021), where she also performed stunts in 23 episodes, as well as Home Economics and Chad.

Her stunt performances also appear in Westworld (three episodes), Lethal Weapon, and American Horror Story.

Film Career: From Happy Death Day to the Eiffel Tower

Early Film Credits (2016–2020)

Kelly Phelan’s film career began building steadily in the mid-2010s. Among her notable stunt performances, Phelan doubled for Kristen Bell in Bad Moms (2016), Teresa Palmer in Lights Out (2016), and Jessica Rothe in Happy Death Day (2017).

Furthermore, she also performed stunts in Patriots Day (2016), Velvet Buzzsaw (2019), Seberg (2019), and 3 from Hell (2019).

Each of these credits represented a step forward. Each one added to her reputation as a reliable, creative, and fearless professional.

Underwater (2020): Doubling Kristen Stewart

One of Phelan’s most physically demanding early film assignments was Underwater — a claustrophobic sci-fi thriller set on the ocean floor.

She doubled for Kristen Stewart in Underwater. She worked with Kristen to make sure “Norah” was portrayed as physically tough along with her mental toughness. Phelan loved working with Kristen, describing her as very dedicated to her work and always willing to try as many stunts as she could.

Performing physically demanding stunts in practical underwater conditions — in confined spaces with limited visibility — requires extreme preparation. Moreover, it requires absolute trust between double and director.

Army of the Dead (2021): More Than a Double

In Army of the Dead (2021), she contributed both as stunt utility and in a small on-screen role as Zombie Showgirl.

This credit shows Phelan’s range. She is not just someone who performs stunts off-camera. She is also a capable on-screen performer — a fully rounded professional in every sense.

Murder Mystery 2 (2023): A Historic Moment on the Eiffel Tower

Then came the career-defining moment.

The first time stunt performer Kelly Phelan saw the Eiffel Tower, she was hanging from the top of it. As Jennifer Aniston’s stunt double in Murder Mystery 2, Phelan pulled off a sequence for the history books — ascending and descending from 1,000 feet in the air down the side of the Paris landmark.

The logistics of this stunt were extraordinary. The Eiffel Tower is essentially a large stick of truss pointing straight up in the air. Engineers hung additional truss pieces off the side, allowing Kelly and her co-performer to go straight up and down. They were placed on a winch system that ascended and descended them at 28 feet per second — with the camera countering their movement.

Furthermore, the preparation was meticulous. Stunt coordinator Justin Yu worked with Phelan and John Medalin, Mark Strong’s stunt double, to break down the different parts of the stunt in a rehearsal space. Calculation and preparation were described as the keys to any huge stunt, along with trust and safety being paramount.

Phelan also had to perform the stunt in character-appropriate costume. Phelan had to perform the stunt in a cocktail dress and Christian Louboutin heels, with costume designer Debra McGuire working with Phelan and Yu to make sure she’d be safe and comfortable.

Jennifer Aniston’s support throughout was unwavering. Leading up to the big day, Phelan received a series of supportive texts from Aniston, cheering her on. Aniston texted, “Thank you so much. You’re making this movie so much better by your bravery and your hard work.”

The stunt earned Kelly Phelan the historic distinction of being the first woman to rappel off the Eiffel Tower. It also earned her a place in the Guinness World Records for the highest drop performed off the landmark.

As stunt coordinator Justin Yu noted, “Kelly was a crucial factor in how the stunt was eventually performed.”

Recent Film Credits (2023–2026)

Phelan performed stunts in Family Switch (2023) and Fool’s Paradise (2023), and took on stunt coordinator duties for Self Reliance (2023). She also had a small acting credit as Businesswoman #2 in Hypnotic (2023) and is credited as stunt coordinator for the upcoming Pizza Movie (2026).

Her trajectory shows no signs of slowing. She is transitioning increasingly into coordination — building the next chapter of her career.

Stunt Coordination: Building the Next Chapter

From Double to Coordinator

Kelly Phelan’s ambitions extend well beyond performing stunts. She wants to be the person responsible for the safety, creativity, and execution of entire action sequences.

Phelan has expressed her desire to coordinate a gymnastics movie or show, combining her expertise in gymnastics with her deep experience in Hollywood stunt work.

Furthermore, as a registered DGA (Directors Guild of America) member and 2nd Unit Director, she is building the credentials to take on increasingly senior creative roles.

She has been working on TV shows while also stunt coordinating a TV show with her husband. Her personal and professional lives are deeply intertwined — both guided by a shared love of the craft.

Industry Reputation

Her peers speak for themselves. Fellow stunt professional Pat Romano, described as a stunt designer, stunt coordinator, stunt rigging coordinator, and member of Stunts Unlimited, offered this endorsement: “Kelly is great! I have worked with her many times and highly recommend her. She’s honest, talented, and dependable.”

In an industry built entirely on trust, that endorsement is priceless.

Career Credits Summary

Film Credits

Year	Film	Role
2016	Bad Moms	Stunt double — Kristen Bell
2016	Lights Out	Stunt double — Teresa Palmer
2016	Patriots Day	Stunt performer
2017	Happy Death Day	Stunt double — Jessica Rothe
2019	Velvet Buzzsaw	Stunt performer
2019	Seberg	Stunt performer
2019	3 from Hell	Stunt performer
2020	Underwater	Stunt double — Kristen Stewart
2020	The Secrets We Keep	Stunt double — Noomi Rapace
2020	Valley Girl	Stunt double — Jessica Rothe
2021	Army of the Dead	Stunt utility + Zombie Showgirl (on-screen)
2023	Murder Mystery 2	Stunt double — Jennifer Aniston; historic Eiffel Tower rappel
2023	Family Switch	Stunt performer
2023	Fool’s Paradise	Stunt performer
2023	Hypnotic	Businesswoman #2 (acting credit)
2023	Self Reliance	Stunt coordinator
2026	Pizza Movie	Stunt coordinator

Television Credits (Selected)

Show	Role	Episodes
Castle	Stunt double	5 episodes
Modern Family	Stunt double	2 episodes
New Girl	Stunt double	—
Grimm	Stunt double	—
Scorpion	Stunt double	3 episodes
9-1-1	Stunt double/actor	15 episodes (2018–2024)
A.P. Bio	Stunt coordinator + performer	23 episodes (2018–2021)
The Morning Show	Stunt double — Jennifer Aniston	9 episodes (2019–2025)
Westworld	Stunt performer	3 episodes
Yellowstone	Stunt double — Kelly Reilly	7 episodes (2022–2024)
Outer Range	Stunt double — Imogen Poots	7 episodes (2022–2024)
Station 19	Stunt double/performer	6 episodes (2018–2024)
Landman	Stunt performer	—
The Perfect Couple	Stunt performer	—
Doctor Odyssey	Stunt performer	—
American Horror Story	Stunt performer	—

Personal Life: Married, Motivated, and Always Moving

Kelly Phelan is married to Simon Potter. She has been married to Simon Potter since September 8, 2018. Simon Potter is also a stunt professional, and the couple occasionally collaborates on professional projects.

She is based in Los Angeles, California. Phelan describes herself as happiest when she is working — constantly improving, constantly learning, and constantly challenging herself to reach higher.

She has said she would never claim to master anything. There are obviously skills she feels more comfortable with, but every discipline can always improve. That is, she says, the beauty of their line of work — you are constantly improving and adding to your skill set.

This humility is rare in any industry. In Hollywood, where egos and credits can overshadow craft, it is truly distinctive.