How the ‘Palm Royale’ Stunt Team Honed a ‘Hyper-Femme Catfight’ for Show’s Longest Brawl Ever

The stunt team behind "Palm Royale" achieved a historic milestone by earning Emmy nods for their groundbreaking "hyper-femme catfight" scene, making it the first time an all-women team was recognized in both coordination and performance since the category debuted in 2021. Mallory Thompson, the stunt coordinator, and her team of Colby Lemmo and Sonja Wajih, who doubled for Claudia Ferri and Kristen Wiig, respectively, embraced the exaggerated feminine energy for the fight between Raquel and Mirabelle in Season 2's "Maxine Finds Herself."

The script provided minimal direction, allowing Thompson's creative vision to flourish, with the team incorporating an array of props, stairs, and a pool for their elaborate brawl that spanned the entire Dellacorte mansion. The most significant challenge was the extended duration of the fight, which required weeks of meticulous planning, pre-vis, and rehearsals, culminating in a four-day shoot with varying pairings and filming schedules.

The team faced additional complications due to the 2025 Los Angeles fires. The storyboards guided the complex choreography, which included filming the pool sequence in a single take. The stunt performers attributed their success to their innate instincts and the adrenaline that surged during the final take. The comedic nature of "Palm Royale" enabled the team to embrace mistakes and inject fun into the high-stakes fight, setting it apart from the more somber, realistic battles typically seen on dramatic series.