From Padgate to California dreamin’

The former Bridgewater High School student performed stunts at Pinewood Studios for Rogue One, which is in cinemas now.

Tiger played a pilot and an officer, among other roles, during the film’s action sequences after narrowly missing out on doubling for star Felicity Jones.

But due to the confidential nature of the film industry, the 30-year-old said that working on Rogue One was as surreal both on and off set.

“We had black cloaks and hats when travelling between sets in case someone sent a drone out,” said Tiger, who grew up in Mead Road, Padgate.

“There were so many confidentiality forms we had to sign and there were no phones allowed. One girl took a picture outside the stunt tent and someone reported her and banned her from the studio for 15 years.

“Someone leaked a call sheet and then they had to destroy that scene. It was super intense for security.”

Tiger was also part of the stunt team for Star Wars: Episode VIII which will be out next Christmas but, as you might have guessed, she is sworn to secrecy on any details on Luke Skywalker’s next adventure.

The former Priestley College student added: “It was interesting to see a production on such a massive scale. But for me the best things I’ve done have involved stunts that are more intricate, dangerous or involved.

“Bigger productions take away a bit of the heart of that I think as everything is over-rehearsed and there are so many layers of people that you have to go through and there’s a lot of waiting around.”

One big production that Tiger had a better experience on though was The Jungle Book – playing a monkey.

She said: “One of my nicknames is now monkey because of that. But I fondly remember doing The Jungle Book because the director was fabulous with Neel Sethi.

“He brought out incredible things from him and you could see him transforming in front of your eyes. As someone who wants to be a director that was much more fundamental for my growth than my experience on Star Wars.”

All these experiences have opened up for Tiger since she qualified for the British Stunt Register in 2013.

There are only around 60 women in the world on the coveted list which helps stunt people find work in Hollywood.

Tiger spoke to Weekend when she returned home for a short Christmas break before she jets off to Pakistan on Boxing Day.

She and her partner Ian Van Temperley, who coordinated stunts for A Monster Calls, will both be working on Maula Jatt 2, a remake of Pakistan’s biggest film.

Tiger, who lived in Hazelwood Mews, Grappenhall, added: “My partner is coordinating it and I’m assisting him so he’ll be off doing swords and I’ll be off doing the wire work and the gymnastics.

“I’ve been thrown in the deep end here because as well as doubling for the female lead I’m also training the actors and directing the action. It’s full on. You normally take about six months to do what they want to do in two.

“The sets that they’ve made are a bit like a cross between Troy and The Raid and the Bourne films. Everybody is involved in this film. We had a letter from the president of Pakistan telling the embassy to hurry up with our visas because they want to get cracking.”

Tiger said she is proud to be representing women positively with her work on Maula Jatt 2 – and if challenges perceptions then all the better.

“The culture is very different.,” she said.

“They’re behind with how they are with women. So to be thrown into a place where women are still earning their rights and respect and to be working on the sequel to the biggest movie to come out of Pakistan is a bit of a head scratcher.

“How many girls will ever get to work there, never mind being a part of the action on a major movie? Our work on Maula Jatt 2 will top off a great year. It’s been crazy. We’ve been to 13 countries this year alone.

“It will also be a great start to 2017 and after that I’ve got two or three other jobs I’ll be coming back to which is nice as I’m in a career where for a long time you can do nothing.”

On the cards next year for Tiger could be a big deal with Warner Bros for a major film that has yet to be announced. But as with most of her work it is a waiting game that does not always pay off.

Tiger added: “You can be mad busy and then do nothing for months and you start going crazy because you go from doing 16 hours a day to not knowing where your next job is.”

Meanwhile, Tiger and Ian keep themselves busy at LA Equine Sports which supplies and trains horses for major films.

For Tiger it has been like going full circle as it was her love of horses which brought her to stunt work.

Her dad Stephen bought her an ex-race horse called Holly which she kept at Statham Lodge Riding Centre.

She said: “I went into stunts and did everything but horses. I knew I’d go back to it because it finds you. I’ve gone full circle.

“We work with Tad Griffith who did 300, Cowboys and Aliens and The Revenant.

“I have nothing but admiration for these guys and to be running it is a bit strange because I’m half their age and haven’t done half the things that they’ve done.”

One of Tiger’s most recent projects with LA Equine Sports was Abilene - Civil War with Luke Hemsworth, brother of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth.

“That was probably the best job I’ve done,” added Tiger.

“It feels more of an achievement to train the horses for the job and being a real piece of the action rather than just doing a stunt and then leaving.

“You feel like a much bigger part of the end result. You deal directly with the actors and build relationships.”

Tiger and Ian also live among the stars in California these days.

The former Bruche Primary School pupil said: “I lived in the Hollywood Hills and I had Tarantino two doors down and then to the left of us was the judge from Dancing with the Stars. Four or five doors down was Vinnie Jones

“So I was surrounded by celebrities and it just happened to be my friend’s house.

“We stayed there for a while and then we found a ranch in Agua Dulce which is where they filmed The Flintstones.

“I fell in love with the place. It’s as far away from Hollywood Hills as you can imagine.

“Old school bar saloons...you go and tie up your horse and have a beer so you feel like you’re in a western movie.

“We’ve got the horses there and business is building and every sunset and sunrise is surreal because there’s so much natural beauty there.

“TV and film have given me very quickly experiences that most people won’t have in a lifetime.

“People don’t normally associate women with stunt work. So it’s great to be around people who believe in me and want to see me grow.”

DAVID MORGAN