Diving into Hollywood: Stuntwoman Liz Parkinson on the Na'vi of Avatar

In this episode of the Scuba GOAT Podcast, we follow the extraordinary journey of underwater stuntwoman Liz Parkinson. Growing up across three countries - the US, England, and South Africa - Liz discovered her love of the water early, and a fierce competitive streak in South Africa pushed her to always outswim her friends. As a teenager, she trained to become a competitive international swimmer for Ireland, earning a university scholarship in the US, where new coaching provided a rude awakening and elite training that reshaped her approach to performance.

Liz’s dive career then took her across the Caribbean, working in Turks and Caicos and eventually at Stuart's Cove, where she got her first taste of on-screen work - even if it meant emulating a squid. She had no idea this was the start of a Hollywood journey, but soon she was called to audition and ultimately move to Los Angeles, where she began shaping the underwater movements of major films. Beyond performing stunts herself, Liz also taught actors how to move, breathe, and perform convincingly underwater, bridging the gap between dive expertise and cinematic magic.

Passionate about inspiring the next generation of dive professionals, Liz regularly participates in interviews, panels, and public appearances to share her experience and guidance. She has also taken on hosting roles, including as MC for the Go Diving Show. If you’re attending any dive events this year, keep an eye out—Liz may be on stage sharing stories from her time bringing the world of Pandora and the Na’vi to life.

Please enjoy. 

Liz on socials

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.parkinson3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizparkinson1/

Watch the interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Z7-j0Jv-aDc