Leigh Hennessy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article, while providing some complete reference citations, includes a list of references or external links, and its verifiability remains partly unclear because it has insufficient in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations. |
Leigh Hennessy was raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. She holds the record, according to the Guinness World Records, for winning the most US national championships for women. She has more recently had a career as an actress and stunt performer[1] in the U.S. film and television industries.
| Leigh Hennessy | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Lafayette, Louisiana |
| Occupation | Film actress, gymnast |
| Official website | |
Her father, Jeff Hennessy,[2] a retired associate professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (then named the University of Southwestern Louisiana) was an expert in the sport of trampolining and was her first trampoline coach. At fourteen years old, Hennessy won her first world title at the first World Age-Group Championships held in London, England in the individual trampoline event for girls 13-14. She earned a master's degree in communication at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, graduating magna cum laude.
After working for Congressman Jimmy Hayes in Washington, D.C., Hennessy's career shifted to stunt work in Hollywood. She has worked as Demi Moore's stunt double in GI Jane and many other films, television shows and commercials.
In 2006, Hennessy starred in the opening scenes of The Guardian, a film with Kevin Costner, in which she played the role of the drowning wife. She was nominated for a Taurus World Stunt Award in 2007 for her work in this movie.
[edit] Honors
- In August 2007, Hennessy was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame in recognition of her trampoline achievements. Her father was already a member of the Hall of Fame, and they are the first father and daughter ever to be inducted.
- World Acrobatics Society Legends Hall of Fame
- USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame
- Southern AAU Athlete of the Year
- Lifetime achievement award from the International Trampoline Federation
