In the world of Hollywood stunt performers, two women redefine the limits of their craft. Sophia Crawford and Sarah Ekstrand have each carved out notable careers, transitioning from stunt performers to business owners.
Crawford never intended to become a stunt performer. In fact, her journey began on a whim when she decided to hop on an old school bus called the “Magic Bus.”
The same bus that, back in the 1960s, carried wanderers on a 3,504-mile journey from London to Afghanistan, weaving through 12 countries with no itinerary, just the promise of adventure. At just 19 years old, living in London, Crawford was drawn to the allure of the unknown, not knowing exactly where it would take her, but certain she would never look back.
“Once I was on this journey, I didn’t want it to end,” Crawford reflected. “I can’t go home now; I can’t go back now.
Crawford’s journey was anything but smooth, led by a driver named Berry, who was more familiar with drugs than directions, with an itinerary from London to India.
Crawford had plans to go back to London after but decided she wanted to continue the journey and see where it would take her. She found herself in Thailand, and it was here, in a foreign land, that Crawford’s life took an unexpected turn.
To support herself, Crawford taught English at the Central Plaza Hotel. The hotel offered her some cash to model in their latest brochure — the pivot that ultimately set the stage for her stunt career.
“I couldn’t believe I did it; I never thought of myself as a model,” Crawford said. “After that, I was contacted by Central Casting, and they were looking for Western women for upcoming films. And that’s how it started.”
After about a year and a half in Thailand, Crawford moved to Hong Kong, where she spent five years honing her skills in stunt performance and acting.
Her daring performances overseas soon captured Hollywood’s attention and landed her roles in iconic series like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and as the Pink Power Ranger in “The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” establishing her as a formidable stunt performer and actress with more than 100 film credits under her belt.
Crawford leveraged her experience to transition into opening Ground and Pound at the end of 2019, a bar and coffee shop specializing in coffee, wine, local beer, and craft cocktails. This unique venue is decorated with film memorabilia from her stunt career, keeping her connected to her roots.
Ground and Pound was recognized as “Best of Alpharetta” for 2022, 2023, and 2024 and “Best of North Atlanta” for 2023 and 2024.
“We are up against so many great coffee shops, but we are the underdogs,” Crawford said. “We have a very loyal community, and I think it’s because they’ve seen how hard I’ve worked as an operator.”
Ground and Pound opened its doors just before the COVID-19 pandemic. For Crawford, this was a huge challenge.
“I had to quickly come up with a plan. What I did was I created a really small breakfast menu and ran the kitchen and every other position myself,” said Crawford. “I did everything curbside, losing about 75 percent of business.”
Crawford says the first year was absolute hell, but the business managed to survive. Her vision for Ground and Pound was to create a space where creativity could thrive. She wanted individuals who shared her passion for the arts and could contribute to fresh ideas for the business.
That’s when she found Sarah Ekstrand in 2021, new to the stunt industry. Crawford extended a job and mentorship at the cafe. Inspired by Crawford’s journey, Ekstrand used her experience working with Crawford to further her path in the stunt industry.
Ekstrand grew up watching Crawford’s performances on screen. She was Ekstrand’s hero.
Ekstrand says her childhood was filled with countless hours of jumping off couches and imagining herself in the world of stunts.
“What kid wasn’t pretending to be a stunt performer?” Ekstrand recalls with a laugh. “Sophia was the pinnacle of what I wanted to become.”
But Crawford wasn’t the only idol in her life. While inspired by Crawford, Ekstrand’s path was uniquely hers. She recalls that her path to becoming a stunt performer was challenging. At a dark time in her life, Ekstrand faced significant personal trauma and severe injuries.
“I wasn’t looking to become a fearless adrenaline junkie,” Ekstrand adds. “I got into stunts because I was tired of freezing in my fear, tired of feeling powerless. I wanted to take my life back, to prove to myself that I was capable and strong.”
Her path into stunt work began after a life-changing situation in Los Angeles, where Ekstrand, a dancer at the time, found herself in a situation of sexual violence.
“I quit dancing and started taking martial arts classes – boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts – anything that could help me feel safe again,” she said. “But I still loved dance, and so I realized stunts were the middle ground between dance and the empowerment I felt from martial arts.”
Despite these obstacles, Ekstrand used her experiences to fuel her passion for stunt work and co-founded Action Collective during the pandemic.
“Action Collective not only makes great performers, we make smart performers,” she said. “We provide passionate artist-led seminars, filmmaking tools for all levels, and performer career services.”
Both Crawford and Ekstrand said their stunt experiences were useful in overcoming challenges in their businesses. For Crawford, it was a natural extension of the qualities she had to possess in stunt performance.
“You have to have the ability to hit the ground and get up again, no matter what,” Crawford said. “That sort of tenacity you have as a stunt person is the same sense of character you have to have to run a business.”
For more from Fresh Take Georgia and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
