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Thursday
Oct012009

LA Times: 'SNL' actress trained to skate for roller derby movie 'Whip It.'

Training included learning how to pretend to take a hit and even how to stop without brakes. It also included lessons from members of real derby team, including the L.A. Derby Dolls. By involving actual derby girls in the project (in addition to training, they play roles as extras), Barrymore showed the actors the very community that she was trying to create in the film, which opens Friday. "I think it was important for Drew to kind of let everyone know that so many different types of women do derby," Wiig says. "Not just the big tough girls with the tattoos and stuff -- there's a lot of that -- but we met women there who are teachers and nurses and mothers and wives."

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