Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez hails from Florida’s zesty city of Miami. The award-winning actress/stuntwoman/producer got her roots in action in the martial art of American Kenpo Karate under the tutelage of Sifu Sandor Urban. Thanks to the guidance of her Sifu, Michelle won 1st Place in Katas and 2nd place in Sparring at the Redland’s International Martial Arts Tournament. Always desiring to provide an even richer curriculum for his students, Sifu Urban hosted many seminars for Doce Pares Eskrima at his former academy where Michelle was able to learn from the legendary Grandmaster Cacoy Cañete. This, of course, only whetted Michelle’s curiosity to explore even more types of martial arts. So after earning her 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, she began training in Capoeira for the next few years, and then upon moving to Los Angeles, immersed herself into Krav Maga. In addition to these styles, she’s trained in Balintawak with Bryan Sloyer, and Ninjutsu with Marc Morisseau.
With an arsenal of moves in her pocket, Michelle made the transition into stuntacting roles in television and film. Her ability to safely and energetically adapt her martial arts for the camera, along with her gymnastics background, caused heads to turn. She got her first big break on the set of End of Watch (2012), a police/gang action-thriller film written and directed by the incomparable David Ayer. She then landed the opportunity to fight on Sons of Anarchy (2012), and began carving a place for herself within the stunt community. With an insatiable appetite for learning, Michelle continued acquiring new skills including tactical weapons, third party protection, stunt driving, wire work, fire, low-mid falls (40’), ratchets, and water work.
Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez has top credits that include, The Fate of the Furious (2017), The Lone Ranger (2013), Straight Outta Compton (2015), The Rookie (2018-2019), Fear The Walking Dead (2015), and a unique stunt-acting role in MGM’s Stargate Origins (2018) where she put her language skills to work, learning and speaking Ancient Egyptian. Michelle is fluent in English and Spanish, conversational in French and Italian, and currently studying Arabic to connect more authentically to her Lebanese/Moroccan roots. She continues to be cast for roles that require the use of her acting, language and stunt skills – most recently on NCIS: Los Angeles (2018), Queen of the South (2018), and Seal Team (2019).
Besides being an actress, stuntwoman and writer, Michelle is also a violinist, singer, songwriter and composer. An agile athlete, intuitive artist, canny businesswoman, and intrinsically balanced left-brain/right-brain problem-solving producer, Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez is formally trained in business, the performing arts, and, along with steadily acquired professional credits, Michelle has developed a strong grasp of the type of caliber, communication, and effectiveness needed both in front and behind of the camera.
She has worked side-by-side with Academy Award Winner Tony Adler of American Beauty (1999), director of photography Jon Philion of The Avengers (2010), True Blood (2008), Fast & Furious series, and the iconic Robert Rodriguez among many others. Michelle’s passion for movie-making has taken her through numerous years of work in multiple departments from stunts and acting, to post-production, soundtracks, ADR, and financing. By working in multiple departments and producing several shorts and music videos, Michelle has acquired a deep understanding of the creative, logistical and financial aspects required to “get the shot” at a high production value and within the budget. She currently has several films and TV pilots on her slate and in various stages of development.
In her free time, Michelle is an incessant student who is constantly seeking more knowledge – studying languages (Arabic, Italian, and French), taking workshops to develop new skills, and continuously learning new things with a discipline to keep her brain flexible.
Using her platform of the entertainment industries, she works to champion peace, diversity, and equality. Her personal mode of operation across the board is the Latin phrase Aut inveniam viam aut faciam (“I shall either find a way or make one”).
