Latest news with #MandyWalker
Axios
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Tampa Bay's MerMandy helps Team USA win Merlympics gold medal
When Mandy Walker first donned a mermaid tail a couple years ago, she never thought she'd end up competing in it, let alone on the world stage. Why it matters: Walker, a mermaid performer and teacher from Riverview, was one of six athletes who represented the U.S. last month at the Official Merlympics 2025 in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Tampa Bay Times first reported. And the results are in: Team USA brought home the gold medal, besting more than a dozen other countries with teams in the competition. "It was a life-changing experience," Walker, who goes by MerMandy, told Axios. "USA blew first place out of the water. It was clear we worked our butts off — or, you could say, our tails off." State of play: For Walker, 44, that meant training five to six times a week for the last six months, building up her strength and endurance in and out of the water. Swimming with a monofin takes serious core strength. She did it all as a single mom of four and master's student, without a competitive swimming background or a coach. In February, her teammates visited from as far away as Indiana and Utah to practice in Florida together. They drilled their synchronization in the chilly waters of Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest and in the deep end at High 5, an aquatics center in Brandon. Soon, they were off to Germany, arriving a few days ahead of the May 24 competition to practice together a few more times. How it works: While the Merlympics aren't affiliated with the traditional Olympics, the competition has a similar structure with multiple events for individuals and with the synchronized swim, events included: A 50-meter surface swim testing speed. An underwater rescue emphasizing the merfolk oath of safety. An underwater photoshoot judging poise and appearance ("they do say mermaids are vain," Walker joked). Zoom out: They found time to have some fun, too. Team members stayed in the historic Hotel Alter Wolf, where they snapped photos with their tails hanging out the windows. Down the street was Schloss Wolfsburg, a medieval castle where Walker quipped she was just waiting for the moat to fill. The big picture: Mermaid culture has long had a presence in Florida thanks to the famous Weeki Wachee mermaids. But the professional scene has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to social media and the Netflix docuseries " MerPeople." That popularity shined at the competition, Walker said. Folks kept coming up to her saying they followed her on social media. What she's saying:"To meet friends that are now global — that's just mind-boggling and priceless," she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Shining light: The Aussie woman heading up Hollywood's oldest guild
Mandy Walker was 15 when she realised what she wanted to do with her life. Her mother had taken her to see an obscure Spanish movie, The Spirit of the Beehive, and Mandy was mesmerised. 'I remember thinking, 'Why is this so different from an Australian film? Why do I feel like this place and this story is in a different country? How did they make me understand this sense of place?' And then I started looking into it, what a cinematographer does.' For more than 30 years, Walker has been doing what a cinematographer does, picking up a raft of peer-voted awards, and BAFTA and Oscar nominations and an AACTA Award win (all for Elvis) along the way. And last weekend, she collected perhaps the greatest honour of her career to date – being elected president of the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers. Loading She is the first Australian and the first woman to hold the position and she is, she admits, immensely proud on both counts. But it's on the gender front that she most wants to make her mark. 'I've been part of a minority as a woman cinematographer,' says Melbourne-born Walker. 'I think it's still less than 10 per cent are women, so I feel like I'm a good person to champion that cause.' Founded in 1919, the ASC is one of the oldest professional bodies in Hollywood. It is 'neither a labour union nor a guild', but rather something like an exclusive club. 'Membership is by invitation only,' its website proclaims, 'extended to directors of photography who have demonstrated outstanding ability with distinguished credits in the industry and good personal character.' Despite the American bit, its 471 members come from around the world, though Walker identifies diversity as another area she wants to improve. 'It's still, like, 80 per cent white men who do my job,' she says.
The Age
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Shining light: The Aussie woman heading up Hollywood's oldest guild
Mandy Walker was 15 when she realised what she wanted to do with her life. Her mother had taken her to see an obscure Spanish movie, The Spirit of the Beehive, and Mandy was mesmerised. 'I remember thinking, 'Why is this so different from an Australian film? Why do I feel like this place and this story is in a different country? How did they make me understand this sense of place?' And then I started looking into it, what a cinematographer does.' For more than 30 years, Walker has been doing what a cinematographer does, picking up a raft of peer-voted awards, and BAFTA and Oscar nominations and an AACTA Award win (all for Elvis) along the way. And last weekend, she collected perhaps the greatest honour of her career to date – being elected president of the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers. Loading She is the first Australian and the first woman to hold the position and she is, she admits, immensely proud on both counts. But it's on the gender front that she most wants to make her mark. 'I've been part of a minority as a woman cinematographer,' says Melbourne-born Walker. 'I think it's still less than 10 per cent are women, so I feel like I'm a good person to champion that cause.' Founded in 1919, the ASC is one of the oldest professional bodies in Hollywood. It is 'neither a labour union nor a guild', but rather something like an exclusive club. 'Membership is by invitation only,' its website proclaims, 'extended to directors of photography who have demonstrated outstanding ability with distinguished credits in the industry and good personal character.' Despite the American bit, its 471 members come from around the world, though Walker identifies diversity as another area she wants to improve. 'It's still, like, 80 per cent white men who do my job,' she says.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
American Society of Cinematographers Elects Mandy Walker as President
The American Society of Cinematographers has elected Australian filmmaker Mandy Walker as president, making her the first woman to hold the role, the organization announced Saturday. 'It is a great honor to be the president of the ASC, and an even bigger privilege to be the first woman to hold the position,' said Walker. 'I am so humbled to take on the responsibility of representing a society that has carved out an inspiring, inclusive space to meet and support other cinematographers. I am proud of our century-old legacy to advance the art and science of cinematography, and I'm excited for the future of our organization.' 'I am intent on making sure our members have the space to grow, the opportunities to educate and learn from one another, and the support of their fellow filmmakers to carve out the best career they can,' added Walker. 'We will continue to lead efforts in raising awareness about the importance of representation behind the camera.' Walker is known for her work on 'Snow White' (2025), 'The Mountain Between Us' (2017), 'Truth' (2015), 'Jane Got a Gun' (2015), 'Tracks' (2013), 'Red Riding Hood' (2011), 'Australia' (2008) and 'Shattered Glass' (2003), 'Lantana' (2001), 'The Well' (1997), and 'Parklands' (1996). She also worked on Baz Luhrmann's Chanel No. 5 campaign that featured Nicole Kidman and Gisele Bündchen. Other members of ASC's leadership include Eric Steelberg, John Simmons, Patrick Cady, Charles Minsky, Dejan Georgevich, and Charlie Lieberman. Members of the board include Natasha Braier, Alice Brooks, Patrick CadyRussell Carpenter, Richard Crudo, Karl-Walter Lindenlaub, Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, Erik Messerschmidt, Charles Minsky, M. David Mullen, Cynthia PusheckJohn Simmons, Eric Steelberg, Amy Vincent, and Mandy Walker. The post American Society of Cinematographers Elects Mandy Walker as President appeared first on TheWrap.
