Honestly, if you’ve watched a major action scene in the last decade and thought, "Wow, that woman is actually hitting people," there is a very high chance you were watching Ellen Hollman. She isn't just another actor hitting marks. She is a legitimate Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and a force of nature. Most people know her as the fierce, dual-dagger-wielding Saxa from Spartacus, but her filmography is a weird, wild mix of high-octane blockbusters and some surprisingly cozy holiday movies. It’s a career that doesn't follow the "standard" Hollywood path, and that’s exactly why she’s so interesting to track.
Let's talk about the range. You don't often see an actress go from playing a Germanic warrior to a "Reflection of Trinity" in The Matrix Resurrections, while also fitting in guest spots on NCIS and Victorious.
The Breakthrough: Spartacus and Beyond
The big one. The role that basically put her on the map. When Ellen Hollman joined the cast of Spartacus: Vengeance as Saxa, she didn't just play a character; she created an icon. Saxa was feral. She was unapologetic. Most importantly, she was one of the few characters who looked like they belonged in a literal gladiator pit.
Hollman has often talked about the "Gladiator Boot Camp" the cast had to endure. We aren't talking about a light jog. We're talking about hours of functional training, weapon drills, and enough cardio to make a pro athlete quit. It paid off. Watching Ellen Hollman movies and TV shows usually means seeing a performer who does the vast majority of her own stunts. In an era of CGI face-swapping, that’s becoming a rarity.
From the Arena to the Matrix
Fast forward to 2021, and she’s in The Matrix Resurrections. This was a "wait, was that her?" moment for a lot of fans. She played Echo. The character was specifically designed to be a mirror image—an "echo"—of Trinity.
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Lana Wachowski didn't just want a lookalike; she wanted someone who could move like Carrie-Anne Moss but with a specific, heightened physical intensity. Hollman actually flipped her movements to mirror Trinity's. If Trinity used her right hand, Echo used her left. It’s that kind of geeky, technical detail that makes her a "stunt-actor" hybrid rather than just someone waiting for their double to finish the hard work.
Action Credentials That Actually Hold Up
If you’re looking for the "Essential Hollman" watchlist, you have to look at Army of One (2020). She didn't just star in this—she co-wrote and produced it. She plays Brenner Baker, a Special Forces soldier out for blood after a drug cartel makes the mistake of leaving her for dead.
It’s basically John Wick meets First Blood, but with a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu behind it.
Notable TV Appearances
- NCIS: New Orleans: She played Amelia Parsons Stone, a recurring antagonist who was actually quite terrifying.
- Into the Badlands: Playing Zypher, she got to lean into the stylized, wire-work martial arts that the show was famous for.
- 9-1-1: A more grounded, dramatic role as Tara d'Agostino, proving she doesn't always need a sword in her hand to hold the screen.
- Hawaii Five-0: She popped up as Olivia Parks in one of the later seasons.
The "Wait, Really?" Part of Her Career
Here is something most people get wrong: they think she only does action. Wrong.
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Hollman has a weirdly consistent side-hustle in TV movies. We’re talking titles like Sharing Christmas and A Perfect Christmas List. It is genuinely hilarious to see someone who can technically snap a human femur in four seconds playing a woman named Stephanie who just wants to save the local Christmas shop. But hey, range is range.
She also showed up in Victorious back in the day as Melinda Murray. If you have kids or were a Nickelodeon fan in 2010, you’ve seen her. She was the one who fired Beck from a movie.
Why She’s Trending in 2026
The industry is shifting. Audiences are getting tired of "floaty" action scenes where you can tell the actor is being held up by wires and a prayer. Ellen Hollman represents the shift toward "Tactical Realism."
She’s part of the "87eleven" family—the stunt team behind John Wick. This isn't just a job for her; it’s a lifestyle. Her husband, Stephen Dunlevy, is a massive stunt coordinator who she actually met on the set of Spartacus years ago. They’re basically the first family of Hollywood fight choreography.
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Recent and Upcoming Work
As we move through 2026, her name keeps popping up in the indie action circuit. She recently produced Don't Suck, a comedy that shows a different side of her personality. There's also the persistent rumor of her returning to more mainstream franchise work, possibly in the stunt-directing space or as a lead in another high-concept thriller.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you want to truly appreciate what she brings to the table, don't just watch the scenes. Watch the movement.
- Watch the Opening of Matrix Resurrections: Look for Echo. Notice how the movements are perfectly symmetrical to the original Trinity opening from 1999.
- Track Her BJJ Journey: She’s very open about her training. For anyone interested in martial arts, her Instagram is basically a masterclass in how to balance a professional career with serious combat sports.
- The Spartacus Rewatch: If you haven't seen Vengeance or War of the Damned lately, go back and watch the fight choreography for Saxa. It holds up better than almost any other TV action from that era.
Ellen Hollman is the kind of performer who makes the "tough guy" trope look easy because, frankly, she’s tougher than most of the guys. Whether she's a gladiator, a digital ghost, or a woman just trying to finish her Christmas shopping, she brings a physical presence that you just can't fake.
How to find her next projects:
The best way to stay updated is to follow her production credits on IMDb or catch her training clips on social media. She often teases choreography months before a trailer even drops. If you see her name attached to a project as a "Fight Coordinator" or "Second Unit Director" (like she did on Army of One), you know the action is going to be legitimate. Look for her name in upcoming 2026 indie releases where she is increasingly taking a seat in the producer’s chair to ensure the action stays "practical."