\u201cIf The Rock and John Cena and Jason Momoa and people like that can make careers off their muscles, why can\u2019t a tiny woman as well?\u201d she tells RNZ\u2019s Nine to Noon.<\/p>\n
A \u201cjack of all trades\u201d who danced competitively as a child and voiced characters in the TV series My Little Pony, Dalton got her first break as a stunt person playing apes in the Planet of the Apes trilogy.<\/p>\n
Standing at just 137cm, she has often worked as a stunt double for children but in recent years branched out into adult roles.<\/p>\n
The Odyssey came Dalton\u2019s way, she says, because she happened to match exactly what Nolan wanted for lead actor Damon\u2019s double \u2013 \u201csomeone who had very fit arms and who was shorter and could handle fight choreography\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really about like, who has the skill set, who can perform the stunt safely, who matches what they need? Why can\u2019t that be a woman?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt Damon in The Odyssey.<\/p>\n
First meeting Damon, Dalton says she wanted to impress the 55-year-old actor with her arms, and succeeded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI built these for you,\u201d she told him, while flexing her biceps.<\/p>\n
Although from her regular workout routine, Dalton pretty much already had the powerful arms required to match his in The Odyssey, the performer says in the lead-up to filming, she went into \u201cmore of a bodybuilding mode\u201d.<\/p>\n
She also focused on excellent nutrition, and right before the shoot, cut her calorie intake a little \u2013 \u201cnothing dangerous, not like fighters do in UFC\u201d \u2013 to make her muscles pop out.<\/p>\n
To others keen to develop their own set of formidable guns, or just start building arm definition, Dalton says boxing is great.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only is it fun, you get to let off steam as well, and it really does help your arms start to take a really good shape.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arm strengthening exercises with your own body weight \u2013 such as pull-ups, at first using a resistance band \u2013 are also effective and underrated, she says.<\/p>\n
Devyn Dalton with fellow stunt actor Stephen Adentan. Photo \/ @stephenadentan<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing what push-ups can do, and there\u2019s so many different variations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dalton hopes that more athletic female bodies will be seen in future films after Damon\u2019s \u201cvery generous\u201d shoutout of her physique on the podcast Happy Sad Confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel strong and so beautiful, really, with my muscles. So to be able to have those celebrated, and it really has been amazing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only hope that it\u2019s going to continue to open more doors and that I\u2019ll be able to play some other really cool roles that celebrate my muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n